[GOPJ]

My immediate thought was...

But your second thought had to do with transporting something important? (Each set of two had the same profile.Fighter in front and heavy "cargo'? plane behind.) Practice runs? What was your "second" thought? And what "cargo" would ever need that much protection? If that's what it was... and sets of planes? Odd.

[jongaltsr]

What was your "second" thought?

My second thought was bombers being escorted for some operation which was not immediate but possibly intended to redeploy heavy bombers for possible action in Korea or elsewhere - or even for a strike from the east against targets in Afghanistan or even Iran.

Who knows? I surely don't. Just thinking out-loud!