January 17, 1991 - the first day of the Gulf War. Four F/A-18 Hornets slice through the scorching air above the Persian Gulf in a tight wall formation. Each aircraft is laden with four Mark 84 2,000-pound bombs. The formation pushes towards its target deep in Iraqi territory.
At 30,000 feet and 30 miles south of their objective, the Hornets fly at maximum speed without afterburner. Suddenly, the voice of an E-2 Hawkeye cuts through the radio: (QUOTE) "Bandits on your nose, 15 miles."
Iraqi MiG-21s are rapidly closing in on the formation, and the heavy bomb loads have left the F/A-18s vulnerable.
Aboard his Hornet, Lieutenant Commander Mark Fox's radar picks up one of the approaching MiG-21s. The Iraqi fighter is closing in fast, leaving precious little time for decision-making. Fox engages the Sidewinder missile's quick-lock acquisition mode. After several tense seconds, he achieves a lock and fires. The Sidewinder streaks away at Mach 2.5, disappearing into the distance. But there's no immediate indication of a hit - no smoke trail, no explosion.
With the MiG-21 still incoming and the fate of the Sidewinder uncertain, Fox quickly prepares to fire the larger, radar-guided Sparrow missile. The outcome of this split-second engagement could set the tone for the air war to come...
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