One theory is that the Tu - 144 manoeuvred to avoid a French Mirage chase plane that was attempting to photograph its unique canards and that the French and Soviet governments colluded with each other to cover up such details .
Its unique canards were advanced for the time .
One theory is that the Tu - 144 manoeuvred to avoid a French Mirage chase plane that was attempting to photograph its unique canards , which were advanced for the time , and that the French and Soviet governments colluded with each other to cover up such details .