@itsmecwarrior: The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a retired long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation.The SR-71 has several nicknames, including "Blackbird" and "Habu". The SR-71 was developed as a black project reconnaissance aircraft during the 1960s by Lockheed's Skunk Works division, initially as a bomber variant of the Lockheed A-12, requested by Curtis LeMay, before the program focused solely on reconnaissance. American aerospace engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the aircraft's innovative concepts. The shape of the SR-71 was based on the pioneer "stealth" Lockheed A-12, with its reduced radar cross section, but the SR-71 was longer and heavier, to allow for more fuel, and a crew of two in tandem cockpits. After the SR-71's existence was revealed to the public in July 1964, it entered service in the United States Air Force (USAF) in January 1966. In 1989, the USAF retired the SR-71, largely for political reasons, although several were briefly reactivated during the 1990s, before their second retirement in 1998. NASA was the final operator of the Blackbird, using it as a research platform, until it was retired again in 1999. During missions, the SR-71 operated at high speeds and altitudes (Mach 3.2 and 85,000 ft; 26,000 m), allowing it to evade or outrace threats. If a surface-to-air missile launch was detected, the standard evasive action was to accelerate and outpace the missile. Equipment for the plane's aerial reconnaissance missions included signals-intelligence sensors, side-looking airborne radar, and a camera. On average, each SR-71 could fly once per week due to the time required to prepare it for the next mission. A total of 32 aircraft were built; 12 were lost in accidents, none to enemy action. Since its retirement, the SR-71's role has been taken up by a combination of reconnaissance satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A proposed UAV successor, the SR-72, is under development by Lockheed Martin, and scheduled to fly in 2025. In 1974, a pair of SR-71 flights set the records for highest sustained flight and quickest flight between London and New York. In 1976, it became the fastest airbreathing manned aircraft, previously held by its predecessor, the closely related Lockheed YF-12. As of 2024, the Blackbird still holds all three world records. #skunkworks #fighterjets #planes #flying #aircraft #stealth #speed #bomber #viral #fyp

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Wednesday 04 December 2024 03:08:47 GMT