SR-71

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

The two seat A-12 is in LA she still is around( http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/06927/ )

Good catch and thanks for keeping me honest. I thought that airframe was chopped.

Mea culpa!

[MH]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

Some western fighters are starting to mount similar sensors as well the Grippen can be mounted with one.The Soviet/Russian ones also are not just used for locking onto a target they can be used to scan the sky ahead and then the pilot can either fire an IR guided or he may choose to fire a radar guided missile at the target when he gets close allowing the target less time to react to the alert and subsequent launch of of a radar guided missile for some time the Soviets had a policy of firing one radar and one IR guided missile at a target to increase the odds of a hit of course that was with older missile technology not the better systems that started entering service in the late 70s.

Actually most moder EU fighters are equipped with some sort of irst built in like Typhoon for example.
In some newer US platforms it is standard equipment as well, in particular stealth ones together with advanced radars and ecm.

[CaptainHaplo]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

sort of like the disco light jammer on the Apache.

Haven't heard anyone mention the disco system on a 64 in forever! Makes me miss working on em.

I am suprised that countermeasure systems are not becoming more "active" - with the ability to generate single frequency laser light at high output in fairly small spaces - it must only be a matter of time before a countermeasure system start shooting down enemy missiles.

Then "stealth" will be more about what you shoot at someone - instead of about what your shooting from.

I could see something like a B-52 gutted and having a system put in to make it purely a defensive aircraft -lasering enemy missiles out of the sky.

[Osmium Steele]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

I could see something like a B-52 gutted and having a system put in to make it purely a defensive aircraft -lasering enemy missiles out of the sky.

Right company, wrong aircraft.

YAL-1