ABSTRACT
Soviet policy toward Egypt following the June 1967 war was a curious mixture of adventurism and prudence. The one thing the Soviets had not wanted was to become directly involved themselves. When Gamal Abdel Nasser suggested to Podgorny in June 1967 that the USSR take over Egypt’s air defense, the Soviet president brushed aside the idea. Soviet soldiers were to wear Egyptian uniforms, and the planes that Soviet pilots flew were to be painted with Egyptian colors. The MiG-21J, which came with Soviet pilots and ground crews, was reputed to be a match for the Phantom. It had better radar and more effective fire control than the earlier versions that Egypt had in its inventory, and wing-tip fuel tanks gave it range and flight time that nearly matched those of the Phantom. During the spring and summer of 1970, Soviet soldiers and equipment continued to stream into Egypt.
