USCG SR-71 Query

[Cobra]

Hey Guys, What If the US Coast Guard were Given some SR-71 Blackbirds to use for Monitoring Oil Spills,Scouting Further Out to Sea to find the Source of an SOS,Etc. Would it Work? Could you just see a Blackbird in USCG Markings? it was a Question that I've been Nervous about posting until Now. What say You? thanks for looking.Dan

[Maverick]

Dan, it's a whif, but really out there.  The logistics of operating the Blackbird would outweigh any advantages of speed, etc.  Add to that, if it travelled at its usual speed, would the paint scheme handle it?

Regards,

Mav

[thesolitarycyclist]

A better choice would be the Lockheed U-2/TR-1, more likely the TR-1 with it`s ability to carry loads of sensors and its huge range with the ability to loiter almost the whole day.

[lenny100]

a rpv would be even better such as the global hawk, which has been used recently by NASA to monitor hurricanes in the mid atlantic ans also do sampling runs

[bobbo]

Either the TR-1 or the SR-71 would look SOOOOOOOOO COOL in USCG White with the red slash . . .

bobbo

[anthonyp]

I seem to recall someone (Nils, maybe?) doing a USCG SR-71 profile a while back.

[Supertom]

The SR-71 leaks so much fuel it'd detect itself!   But seriously, I see a U-2 or UAV to be more practical since it'd need to be flying around for extended periods of time.

[sandiego89]

SR-71 would be a non-starter for the USCG.  Too much cost for a limited mission.  Despite the recent big spill, oil spills are only a very small part of what USCG aircraft do- they all need to be multi-mission. HC-130's and Hu-25 Falcons have had SLAR equipment for oil spill detection for years, but very rarely get called to actually track a spill.  Speed is not really an issue for oil spills, nor is altitude.  Oil spotting is actually best and lower to mid altitudes with visual and IR technologies, and even better when the aircraft has the endurace to vector surface skimmers to collectable rows of oil.  Many higher altitude images turn out to be non-recoverable oil, biological, or even cloud shadows.  If you wanted high altitude concur that U2/TR1 or UAV would be much better.  Also concur the white and red paint would get charred off in the first mach 3 flight.

As for search and resuce, distess signals hits are mostly satellite now, so you can get a good general location from the satellite, then fixed and rotary wing can be brought in to refine the search area.   For wide are searches (uncorrolated maydays) the HC-130 and new HC-144s are pretty good, but yes speed is lacking.

Sorry to be all negative- but on the positive- yes the SR-71 would look very cool in USCG markings! 

[anthonyp]

Sorry to be all negative-

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