Narrative:

Center called me (aspen approach control) to advise that they had lost radar and communications with a flight of fighter jets that were filed to enter our airspace towards dbl VOR then direct cos airport. Due to our radar being even more limited than center's I did not receive a data block on the aircraft. A few minutes later I saw a data block start to acquire approximately 4 miles west of the airport. I quickly told local that the target could quite possibly be two fast moving fighter jets; and that I was not in communication with them. Local control immediately issued a traffic advisory to his arrival on the visual approach. I grabbed some binoculars and began searching as well but I did not get a visual on one of the fight jets until they were well north of the traffic. Aircraft advised local that they received an 'RA' and I advised denver center that we would be filing paperwork on it. Such a highly trained pilot; should have more sense than to encroach a class delta doing almost 500 knots; inverted; flying directly towards the final and departure corridor in a highly mountainous area where radar and radio coverage are known to be limited. Other than the pilot actually adhering to training and regulations already in place; the only recommendation I can put forth would be better radar and better radios.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ASE Tower Controller reports of a flight of two aircraft that encroached on the Delta airspace not being controlled and cause an airborne conflict with another aircraft under their control. Controllers in the Tower could see the aircraft on radar but not out the window until they were no longer a factor. Controller stated the aircraft were doing 500 knots.

Narrative: Center called me (Aspen approach control) to advise that they had lost RADAR and communications with a flight of fighter jets that were filed to enter our airspace towards DBL VOR then direct COS airport. Due to our RADAR being even more limited than Center's I did not receive a data block on the aircraft. A few minutes later I saw a data block start to acquire approximately 4 miles west of the airport. I quickly told Local that the target could quite possibly be two fast moving fighter jets; and that I was not in communication with them. Local control immediately issued a traffic advisory to his arrival on the visual approach. I grabbed some binoculars and began searching as well but I did not get a visual on one of the fight jets until they were well north of the traffic. Aircraft advised local that they received an 'RA' and I advised Denver Center that we would be filing paperwork on it. Such a highly trained pilot; should have more sense than to encroach a Class Delta doing almost 500 knots; inverted; flying directly towards the final and departure corridor in a highly mountainous area where RADAR and radio coverage are known to be limited. Other than the pilot actually adhering to training and regulations already in place; the only recommendation I can put forth would be better RADAR and better radios.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.