Should have kept these around.
I know high maintenance, but very effective and long range.
Sidewinders are infrared guided, heat seekers. Balloons don't have a heat signature.
The AIM-54 would be much better, look-em up. However the only platform that can carry and launch them was the F-14
Possibly could work, but the F-14 is faster and the AIM-54 Phoenix missile has a longer range. Less exposure to the aircraft crew.
Don't know the max ceiling of the A-10, the F-14 was over 65,000 feet.
May not be enough for the missile to lock on to at 10 to 15 miles (extended range Sidewinder). And I know how sensitive the Sidewinders are as I was an Aviation Fire Control Tech, E-5, when I was in the Navy. Work with them. They could pick-up a cigarette at over 100 yards when we tested the Fire Control system on an F-4.
Aim-54"s are a radar guided active missile with ECM and DECM systems. A fire and forget type of missile, with a 150+ mile range, Unlike the Sparrows which had to have a radar illuminated target.
>You could lase that target from the ground. In fact one could might eveb use a laser itself to bring it down.
True, Lasers have been vastly improved from my time working with weapon systems. I just like the F-14 and the Phoenix missiles and their capabilities.