The Su-15 was a major part of the Soviet interceptor force until the fall of the Soviet Union.
By 1955 the Mustangs were at the end of their operational lifetime, and the Air Force issued a directive to ADC to replace all of its interceptor force with Jet Aircraft.
Air Defense Command took over the remaining RB-57Ds to act as high altitude targets for the supersonic interceptor force.
ADC was phasing down its manned interceptor force as the chances of a Soviet Bomber attack on the United States seemed remote.
Hunter was also able to buy two creaking F-106 Delta Darts, an arrow shaped plane that was at one time the mainstay of the interceptor force protecting North America.
In the 1950s, during the Cold War, a strong interceptor force was crucial for the great powers, as the best means to defend against threat of the unexpected nuclear strike by strategic bombers.
As O.C. 'Wolfpack' commandant of the Russian interceptor force, he had found his fulfilment as a military man.
Inactivated in 1969 when ADC closed Oxnard AFB and sharply reduced its interceptor force.
The North Vietnamese interceptor force followed Soviet air-defense doctrine, with pilots under rigid direction of ground controllers over radio links.
The introduction of the F-102 Delta Dagger in 1958 to upgrade AAC's interceptor force meant a reduction of the number of squadrons from six to three.