On 9 Feb 2006 03:09:06 -0800, "KDR" wrote:

Ed Rasimus wrote:

I was successfully intercepted by a Mirage III out of Valencia at FL
480 and M 1.6--the best high speed intercept I've ever seen!


What weapon did that Spanish Mirage III "use" to intercept you at that
time?

The system that detected, launched and directed the Mirage III was the
newly installed and very high-tech "Combat Grande" radar environment.
The kill weapon would have been AIM-9J or possibly whatever the
similar French IR missile was.

The intercept was consistent with the rear quadrant low-aspect
requirements of such a weapon and was completed well within range of
that type.

BTW, I'd greatly appreciate if you could recount any exercise in which
your F-4C defended the fleet against air threat.

I never did any fleet air defense. We did, however, plan for
land-based aircraft to provide CAP over convoys, amphibious
operations, task forces operating w/out their own CV, etc.

The USN has a tendency to be a bit parochial about who is defending
them!

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com