And I have to agree with PPP. I’d take the Su-34 over the B-2 any day

Are you sure he wasn’t nominating it for the ugliest jet???? 😉 😉 😉

Both A-12’s make it on my short list of best looking, worst is the F-16 (boring) and Eurofighter.

Matt

Could an AWACS aircraft be fitted with a CIWS such as Phalanx to shoot down incoming missiles?

I know it sounds crazy, but if it works on ships….

I’ve been wondering about AIM-9X for that purpose. At the launch ranges we are discussing, there should be plenty of time for even an AWACS to get nose on enough to fire, and even the small warhead on Sidewinder is enough to get that job done.

Matt

Nike Hercules:
Range 140 km and height up to 45 km or 150.000 feet, speed Mach 3,65, splinter war-head of 272 kg or nuclear W31 (2-40 kT). :diablo:
First Cold War deployment in October 1958 to Taiwan.

So the top speed was only ~ .5 mach faster then a YF-12, .4 mach slower than GAR-9. 90 mile range vs. a demonstrated 40, paper 100 mile range of Falcon. I’m not sure what the ceiling of YF-12/GAR-9 would be, though if a Falcon were flying UP, the target would almost have to be orbital/sub-orbital. I do have to concede the nuclear option, though.

SAM’s have some definate advantages, but I think the vastly expanded range of the YF-12/GAR-9 combo overcomes many of them.

Matt

I almost thought for a second this place didn’t have its own little fonck/thunder/gegene/sampaix… 😉

Heh, we have -phobes and -philes and fanboys of every variety you can imagine, and a few you’d probably rather not 😀 😀 😀

Matt

Dunno, there’s be strong hints of Company involvement there….

Maybe if disapeared in the dark of night, being replaced with a note saying “so long, and thanks for all the fish???”

😀 😀 😀

Matt

The measure is more “what would the RCS be had we NOT taken these measures to reduce it?” So while the SR-71 may not be stealthy compared to today’s aircraft, compared to the A-11 it was a big improvement. The chines were for stealth, the inward-canted tails were, the paint (supposedly), and so on.

I agree on all points except the paint. It *might* have an incidental effect, since black does absorb the most radiation, but the primary reason was to radiate heat out, lowering airframe temps and easing the load on the structure and thermo designers.

Matt

The fact that you describe Israeli attack as ‘fun’ makes me clearly see who am I dealing with here.. Cannot wait to attack someone, right? Don’t be surprised that there are crowds of Arabs and Persians that consider attack on Israel as ‘fun’ in return.

So the best argument you can make is mocking a typo???

Weak.

Matt

Next year if all goes according to plan the F.3 Tornado of 1435 flight will be replaced by Typhoon.

I think it would be interesting to talk about the RAF’s process of transfering to the new type – for example I presume the RAF will follow the new procedure and use the C17 to fly the airframes down.

What’s the logic behind carrying them down in pieces, vs. a ferry flight and C-17 delivery of the new ground equipment?

Matt