Newsgroups: sci.military
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!cbnews!military
From: clements@cs.utexas.edu (Paul C. Clements)
Subject: Re: More info on SR-71
Organization: Dept of Computer Sciences, UTexas, Austin
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 90 18:19:24 GMT
Approved: military@att.att.com
Message-ID: <1990Oct19.181924.17651@cbnews.att.com>
References: <1990Oct18.021420.7298@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military-request@att.att.com
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From: clements@cs.utexas.edu (Paul C. Clements)

In article <1990Oct18.021420.7298@cbnews.att.com> swilliam@dtoa1.dt.navy.mil (Williams) writes:
>Engineers had to design an ejection system capable of working at Mach 3 and
>at altitudes above 80,000 feet...  Just recently, when an SR-71 crashed into
>the China Sea, this ejection system was able to save both crewmen.

Was the bailout at speed and altitude?   Any other details available about
the system -- should I envision your basic Martin-Baker seats plus the
suits?   And do we know what caused the crash?

>KC-135 tankers used to aerially refuel SR-71s are outfitted with a 
>communications line within the refuelling boon, allowing the planes
>to operate using a secure radio link and maintain radio silence.  

I assume it isn't really a *radio* link at all, but more of an intercom?
Real question:  any reason why this isn't a really good idea no matter
WHAT kind of tactical a/c you're refueling?

Thanks for a fascinating article.

P. C. Clements