[olddog]

I do not think the SR71 dodged many missiles. At over 1 miles per second a SR71 was likely gone before anyone new it was there. At more than 15 miles up you need a fricking ICBM to reach it. By the time you can launch such a missile, the SR71 will be in another hemisphere.

Libia did not have a SAM that could climb to near outer space. No way did Libia fire on a SR71.

I don't think a SR71 would have needed a second pass to get the needed pictures.

I question that the SR71 had afterburners.

I boubt military air craft ever ask civilian radar to give them a ground speed reading, and I damn sure do not think a SR71 would have. If they did, I think thier flying days would have been over. Well maybe they could have gotten a job flying rubber dog $hit out of some third world $hit hole in a prop plane.

I do not think a SR71 at altitude makes a sonic boom. Did you ever hear a space shuttle go over head?

I'm far from an expert, and I'm sure there are some members who are.