JS>>     The SAMs may have proximity fuses, so, even if they miss,
JS>>     they can still bring the aircraft down.
JS>   Proximity fizes go back to WW II. Only the U.S. had them at
JS> that time.   Also the fuzes can be sent false data to cause them
JS> to explode son after arming. I have forgotten the freq but
JS> we had it back in the 50s and 60s.
    The proximity fuses used the doppler effect of radar
    to detect a frequency change as it passed the target.
    Chaff could fool it. I've never heard of sending
    false data to the fuze, but then, what the hey, there's
    lots of things I've never heard of. 
    I was told once, by a former B-52 driver, that the
    B-52 radar had some awesome capabilities, including
    blacking out the whole East Coast, if they chose to
    do so.
    The C-130 had angle deceivers, which could cause the
    steering dot of my aircraft radar to move off of the
    target aircraft. I didn't mind that so much, but I was
    seriously offended when they would "scribe" vulgar
    phrases on my radar scope. 
    I drifted a tad, there. Sorry. Back to the discussion:
    IMO, there could also be an IR proximity fuse, but
    I've never heard of one.
JS>>     In addition, the U-2 is also limited in its ability to
JS>>     try to out turn a missile. Since I don't have access to
JS>>     specific information about the capabilities of the U-2,
JS>>     and wouldn't specify even if I did know, I can only speak
JS>>     in general terms. The U-2, as in all aircraft, has a
JS>>     limiting mach number, or speed limit. At high altitudes
JS>>     this also limits the turning capability of the U-2.
JS>   I understand the "envelope" for the U-2 is very small and
JS> keeps a pilot on his toes to prevent stall at high altitude.
    That's what I figured, but didn't want to say, because
    I figured that was classified.
JS> Stupid would not O.K. money for further use of the SR-71.
JS> But may we have Aurora???
    It could be that the cost effectiveness of the SR-71
and the Aurora is such that it would have been better to
use the U-2. Maintenance on these things is (probably)
also a nightmare. I'm betting that the maintenance hours
per flying hour ratio for the U-2 is much, much better.
JS> Iraqi radar people were very careful
JS> not to turn their tracking radar on during Desert Storm...
    If I remember correctly, they learned that lesson
    AFTER the first few were blown away.
JS> Saddam is playing a ware of nerves.  He knows hoow our military
JS> has been downsized and spread very thin.  Many assigned to
JS> social and civil duties.
    The pendulum swings. It's been doing that for years
    and years, now.
..
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 * SLMR 2.1a * - Once you've made all the mistakes, you're an expert.
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