▁it ▁indicated ▁to ▁U . S . ▁command ers ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁right ▁time ▁to ▁launch ▁a ▁de co y ▁operation . ▁ ▁In ▁what ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁Operation ▁B olo , ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁T act ical ▁F ighter ▁Wing ▁( 8 th ▁T F W ) — under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Colonel ▁Robin ▁Old s — based ▁at ▁U bon ▁in ▁Th ailand , ▁was ▁entr usted ▁with ▁the ▁task ▁of ▁leading ▁an ▁operation ▁which ▁aim ed ▁to ▁l ure ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁Air ▁Force ▁into ▁an ▁amb ush . ▁According ly , ▁the ▁F - 4 ▁Ph ant oms ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁T F W ▁would ▁fly ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁profile ▁as ▁an ▁F - 1 0 5 ▁strike ▁formation , ▁by ▁flying ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁alt itudes , ▁speed ▁and ▁routes . ▁For ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁the ▁F - 4 ▁Ph ant oms ▁would ▁be ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁the ▁Q RC - 1 6 0 ▁jam ming ▁pod s ▁so ▁they ▁would ▁appear ▁on ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁rad ars ▁as ▁F - 1 0 5 ▁bom bers . ▁To ▁prepare ▁for ▁the ▁operation , ▁U . S . ▁air cre ws ▁spent ▁several ▁days ▁studying ▁weapons ▁en velop es , ▁pod ▁operation , ▁and ▁all ▁aspects ▁of ▁air - to - air ▁tact ics . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 5 6 ▁F - 4 C ▁Ph antom ▁II ▁from ▁the ▁