A GLF2 AND AN FA20; OPERATING AS A FLT OF TWO ON A VFR PLANNED RESEARCH DATA GATHERING MISSION; EXITED AND RE-ENTERED THE CONTIGUOUS US ADIZ OFF BOSTON. INTERCEPTORS WERE LAUNCHED AND HAD CONTACT WITH GLF2.

Narrative

A RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FLT TOOK PLACE IN THE AIRSPACE APPROX 75-125 NM E OF BOSTON; MA. THE FLT CONSISTED OF 2 ACFT; A GRUMMAN GULFSTREAM 2 AND A DASSAULT FALCON 20. PRIOR TO THE FLT; I MADE PHONE CALLS TO 3 ATC FACILITIES: HANSCOM (BED) TWR TO COORDINATE FORMATION DEP PROCS -- BOSTON APCH CTL TO COORDINATE THE MISSION. BOS APCH ADVISED THAT THE AIRSPACE WAS CTLED BY ZBW. ZBW WAS CALLED. I SPOKE TO THE WATCH SUPVR; AND TOLD HIM WE INTENDED TO OPERATE VFR AT A DISTANCE OF AT LEAST 100 NM E OF BOSTON. HE ASKED IF A FLT PLAN WAS ON FILE; TO WHICH I REPLIED; 'NO.' I WAS THEN ASKED FOR THE TYPE OF ACFT AND CALL SIGNS. THIS INFO WAS PROVIDED. THE FORMATION DEPARTED WITH THE FALCON AS FLT LEAD. BOSTON APCH WAS CONTACTED AND RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME; BOSTON EFFECTED A RADAR HDOF TO MANCHESTER APCH. MANCHESTER REMAINED IN CONTACT WITH THE FLT UNTIL THE FLT WAS WELL OUT OVER WATER AT WHICH TIME MANCHESTER ADVISED; 'RADAR SVC TERMINATED; SQUAWK 1200; MAINTAIN VFR.' BOTH ACFT COMPLIED WITH THIS INSTRUCTION. AT THE END OF THE MISSION; THE FLT BROKE UP WITH THE FALCON RETURNING WELL AHEAD OF THE G2. THE G2 ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH BOSTON APCH. AFTER RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED; THE G2 RETURNED TO HANSCOM FIELD (BED). IT WAS LEARNED THAT AN F15 HAD INTERCEPTED THE G2; AND POSSIBLY THE FALCON. SUBSEQUENT PHONE CALLS TO ZBW CONFIRMED THIS. AS A RESULT OF THIS; ALL FUTURE FLTS WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH AN APPROPRIATE FLT PLAN ON FILE. THIS TYPE OF FLT IS COMMON WITH OUR COMPANY AND OCCURS ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE HAVE OPERATED IN THIS AREA BEFORE MANY TIMES WITHOUT A FLT PLAN; BUT WITH PRIOR COORD WITH ATC AS WE DID ON THIS DATE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 595116: THE FLT WAS ORIGINALLY BRIEFED TO BE FLOWN ALONG THE BOSTON 070 DEG RADIAL/50 DME-070 DEG RADIAL/80 DME AT 15000 FT MSL IN HOLDING TYPE ORBITS. AT THIS TIME WE PROCEEDED WITH OUR MISSION WHICH SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH BOSTON APCH SINCE WE MOVED THE LOCATION OF OUR PROFILES.