SR-71 story.

[Zimme83]

The answer is:


Ok, they needed the predictable path of the Sr-71, a HO and a ground radar to illuminate the "target" but it still counts.

[Someguy63]

To be honest im not 100% sure but i guess that its a yes, that they had some kind of firing solution on the blackbird.

You can get a lock on an aircraft but not be in range to fire.

[WaffenVW]

http://theaviationist.com/2013/12/11/sr-71-vs-mig-31/

"How the Mig-31 repelled the SR-71 Blackbird from Soviet skies."

[Zimme83]

You can get a lock on an aircraft but not be in range to fire.

But since they were in range to fire it is irrelevant. In the theoretic scenario of firing at the Blackbird the missile would have been head-on so range wasnt the issue.

It is of course not likely that the Sr-71 would even been there if there was any chance of hostility but the story is still good.

[WaffenVW]

There's no way a Viggen can get a head on shot at a Blackbird. The Viggen can't get up high enough for that. It would have to shoot from below... 25,000+ feet lower.

[Zimme83]

Yes and no, when the closure speed is close to M 5 the planes will be a lot of miles apart when they begin and in that case even 20k ft isnt much. The angle between them will be very small.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_37_Viggen

Swedish JA 37 Viggen fighter pilots, using the predictable patterns of Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird routine flights over the Baltic Sea, managed to achieve missile lock-on with radar on the SR-71 on numerous occasions. Despite heavy jamming from the SR-71, target illumination was maintained by feeding target location from ground-based radars to the fire-control computer in the Viggen. The most common site for the lock-on to occur was the thin stretch of international airspace between Öland and Gotland that the SR-71 used on the return flight.[26][27][28] The Viggen is the only aircraft to this day to get an acknowledged radar lock on the SR-71.

[WaffenVW]

lol with what missile?

[Zimme83]

It is shown on the picture.
But take it for what it is, a good story, as I said, if there was even a remote chance of any hostilities the encounter would never have occurred. The skyflash missile would of course have a very hard time to do the job even with assistance from the ground.

[WaffenVW]

Skyflash was a good missile, but without thrust vectoring at 80,000+ feet it would have a hard time tracking a moving target.

[SIM]

This past spring I spent a few days at the USAF Museum in Dayton. On 2 of those days I took the tour of the Presidential and R&D Hanger on Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Colonel Richard Graham was the leader of this tour on both days. For a fascinating look at the "inside" of the SR-71 community, you can search for him on youtube. His life and stories were absolutely amazing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeBu6mRDaro

[Someguy63]

But since they were in range to fire it is irrelevant. In the theoretic scenario of firing at the Blackbird the missile would have been head-on so range wasnt the issue.

It is of course not likely that the Sr-71 would even been there if there was any chance of hostility but the story is still good.

Well yeah if they're in range it doesn't matter, I think you or Dave asked if getting a lock means you're ready to fire or not, I was just answering.

[Ripsnort]

I visit the A-12 with drone (CIA version) every February for "Hops and Props" and that would be drinking 75 sample of micro beer from all over the Northwest, something we were famous for BEFORE coffee....at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

How many of you have sat in the cockpit of an A-12 (SR-71) with a beer ? Hmm?

Any of you LOCO's going this year?