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Sure there is. Stealth capability isn't a boolean property. Intermittent detection isn't enough to target an aircraft. Being able to track from the ground, wit
by milspec 12y ago
Sure there is.
Stealth capability isn't a boolean property. Intermittent detection isn't enough to target an aircraft. Being able to track from the ground, with numerous antennas and supercomputers, is much easier than tracking from the limited-diameter head of a radar-guided missile.
- MarkMc 12y agoI'm curious: Can modern missiles just rely on ground-based radar?
- wisemnaofhyrule 12y agoObviously SAMs can, some Air to Air missiles could in theory if you have a nearby ground station guide them. However, the missiles that are guided by the plane have less range, requiring that ground station to be conveniently close by. Thats if were not including ground based radar just providing info to the plane itself.
- rurounijones 12y agoIt can be decidedly unhealthy to be broadcasting a radar signal when the enemy might have SEAD aircraft with radar-homing missiles. Having to keep the radar on though-out the missile's entire flight would be a good example of a possibly life-shortening exercise for the sender of the missile.
- shard972 12y agoReally? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_F-117A_shootdown http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_F-117A_shootdown
- trhway 12y agoas the joke goes, these missiles were very old - they were produced when there were no stealth planes, and thus they didn't know that that plane was supposed to be invisible to them.
- engi_nerd 12y agoSome IRCM systems have historically encountered this same problem in their development. Modern missiles were defeated, but very old missiles were actually attracted. It isn't really a joke so much as a humorous way to describe a nasty reality.
- tsotha 12y agoYes, really. Did you read the article?