Subject: SR-71 - Navy Challenge
Edited by David Barth, November 21, 2008
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SR-71 in flight |
When the sonic boom from an SR-71 at operational altitude was heard, the plane was already out of sight. In a famous challenge from the Navy, it asked the Air Force if it would provide the time and altitude passing a certain point so that the Navy could simulate a shoot-down of the plane.
The Air Force provided the coordinates, and the Navy's shoot-down was successful. The next day a newspaper article proclaimed that the Navy had successfully simulated a shoot-down of the SR-71.
The Navy requested another set of coordinates from the Air Force to repeat its success. The Air Force declined to provide the information unless the Navy's next press release said that the shoot-down was successful only with knowledge of where the Blackbird would be at a given moment. The Navy acquiesced.
Links to additional SR-71 Articles:
SR-71 - Inflight Breakup
SR-71 - Ceiling
SR-71 - Landing at Buckley ANG Base
SR-71 - Cancellation
SR-71 - Flight over France
SR-71 - Landing at Grand Forks, ND AFB
SR-71 - History
SR-71 - Flight over Libya
SR-71 - Navy challenge
SR-71 - Fueling from KC-135 Tankers
SR-71 - Titanium construction