In the spring of 1962, there were reports of low-flying aircraft at night in the South Vietnamese Central Highlands that raised concern about the Viet Cong receiving supplies via clandestine flights using aircraft in the class of the Antonov An-2 Colt. In response, the Joint Chiefs of Staff asked the USAF and the US Navy to come up with the best aircraft in their inventory to intercept the suspected night flights.
The USAF selected the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger. The Navy, on the other hand, selected an armed version of the Douglas AD-5Q electronic warfare Skyraiders. Ten years earlier in Korea, the USMC used radar-equipped Skyraiders in night intercepts. Though the night-attack AD-5Ns were since phased out, the AD-5Qs now used in the EW role were converted from AD-5Ns.
Project Waterglass involved F-102s and AD-5Qs alternating deployments to South Vietnam. The last Waterglass deployment took place in the fall of 1963, by which time the AD-5Qs were redesignated EA-1Fs. No intruders were ever intercepted or detected.
Source: US Navy A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War, Osprey Combat Aircraft #77 by Richard R Burgess and Rosario M Rausa. Osprey Publishing, 2009, p11-12.
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