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Originally Posted by glyn
The Concorde posed enormous difficulties for any interceptor at the time. The Lightning was not overburdened with fuel and in full reheat the second fastest thing was the speed of the fuel contents guage!
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The Concorde cruises faster than just about any fighter or bomber today(even the F-22), and supercruises efficiently at that. The Raptor and Eurofighter can supercruise, but not with that kind of speed. While the airliner can be caught with afterburners, there's the obvious range problem. And the Super Hornet can't even catch a Concorde with or without burners. Quite impressive.
Of course, the SR-71 can outrun just about anything in the air, missiles included. Sadly, both of these famously fast planes are retired. It'll be a while before something comparable to either arrives.
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They also generate such an enormous RCS that the radar guys in Alaska and Canada know a Bear's taking off as soon as the engines fire up. Exaggeration, yes. But those props give the enemy a lot of extra "heads-up" time compared to anything else but a small moon.
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The BUFF is no RCS king either. Probably better than the Bear, but both planes still have RCS big enough to make a comparison of this aspect nonsensical.