Naval long-range bombers and political suspicion

Naval aviation's DB-3 and Il-4 crews carried out early long-range strikes because they were trained for extended operations. Flying beyond Soviet territory and meeting foreign forces also made these crews politically suspect. One proposed safeguard was to select married men with children, whose families at home were expected to discourage defection. The policy's success is uncertain, and it appears to have been short-lived. Maritime patrol nevertheless required confident crews capable of independent judgement, qualities that could also lead them to question the regime. National pride, privileges, and a good standard of living were intended to strengthen specialist personnel's attachment to the state.