The Air Force decided to order its own two-seat version of the A-12, a refined reconnaissance version for the Strategic Air Command. One successful offshoot of the A-12 was the SR-71 Blackbird. American aerospace engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the aircraft's innovative concepts. Soviet overflights ceased and the U-2 continued flying missions over places with less sophisticated air defense systems. [4], On most aircraft, the use of titanium was limited by the costs involved; it was generally used only in components exposed to the highest temperatures, such as exhaust fairings and the leading edges of wings. The system's digital computer ephemeris contained data on a list of stars used for celestial navigation: the list first included 56 stars and was later expanded to 61. 61-7972, when the Astro-Inertial Navigation System (ANS) fails on a training mission and they accidentally fly into Mexican airspace, 5 February 1968: Lockheed ordered to destroy A-12, YF-12, and SR-71 tooling, 8 March 1968: First SR-71A (AF Ser. Modifications were made to provide a data-link with "near real-time" transmission of the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar's imagery to sites on the ground.[104]. Lockheed Martin. The 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (1 SRS) kept its pilots and aircraft operational and active, and flew some operational reconnaissance missions through the end of 1989 and into 1990, due to uncertainty over the timing of the final termination of funding for the program. Another project stemming from the development of the A-12 was the M-21 aircraft and the D-21 drone. In 1976, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird broke the world's record for sustained altitude in horizontal flight at 25,929 meters (85,069 feet). They maintained that, in a time of constrained military budgets, designing, building, and testing an aircraft with the same capabilities as the SR-71 would be impossible. Two A-12s were modified to carry and launch the Lockheed D-21 remotely piloted reconnaissance drone, which would be powered by a Marquardt ramjet engine. [112][113][114], On 29 June 1987, an SR-71 was on a mission around the Baltic Sea to spy on Soviet postings when one of the engines exploded. [98] On 21 March 1968, Major (later General) Jerome F. O'Malley and Major Edward D. Payne flew the first operational SR-71 sortie in SR-71 serial number 61-7976 from Kadena AFB, Okinawa. Specialized protective pressurized suits were produced for crew members by the David Clark Company for the A-12, YF-12, M-21 and SR-71. They cost $2,300 and would generally require replacing within 20 missions. The aircraft can fly more than 2200 mph (Mach 3+ or more than three times the speed of sound) and at altitudes of over 85,000 feet. It has set numerous speed and altitude records including the following in chronological order. [19], During the 1964 campaign, Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater repeatedly criticized President Lyndon B. Johnson and his administration for falling behind the Soviet Union in developing new weapons. [N 1] It was operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and NASA.[1]. The J58 was a considerable innovation of the era, capable of producing a static thrust of 32,500lbf (145kN). On 28 July 1976, SR-71 serial number 61-7958 set an absolute speed record of 1,905.81 knots (2,193.2 mph; 3,529.6 km/h), approximately Mach 3.3. The aircraft flew at an altitude of over 80,000 feet (24,000 m) and at speeds over 2,190 miles per hour (3,520 km/h). [33] However, in practice the SR-71 was sometimes more efficient at even faster speedsdepending on the outside air temperatureas measured by pounds of fuel burned per nautical mile traveled. Cooper. The SR-71 entered service in January 1966. The SR-71 originally included optical/infrared imagery systems; side-looking airborne radar (SLAR);[74] electronic intelligence (ELINT) gathering systems;[75] defensive systems for countering missile and airborne fighters;[76][77][78][79] and recorders for SLAR, ELINT, and maintenance data. The SR-71's capability of flying at high speeds and at high altitudes made it possible for it to fly faster than any surface to air missiles that were fired at it. The investigation determined that the new aircraft would need to be supersonic and have a small radar cross-section. Fuselage panels were manufactured to fit only loosely with the aircraft on the ground. [135] After the Los AngelesWashington flight, on 6 March 1990, Senator John Glenn addressed the United States Senate, chastising the Department of Defense for not using the SR-71 to its full potential: Mr. President, the termination of the SR-71 was a grave mistake and could place our nation at a serious disadvantage in the event of a future crisis. [52] One response to a single unstart was unstarting both inlets to prevent yawing, then restarting them both. [26]:204 While the SR-71 survived attempts to retire it in 1988, partly due to the unmatched ability to provide high-quality coverage of the Kola Peninsula for the US Navy,[119][26]:194195 the decision to retire the SR-71 from active duty came in 1989, with the last missions flown in October that year. The project, named Archangel, was led by Kelly Johnson, head of Lockheed's Skunk Works unit in Burbank, California. [44] After the advisory panel provisionally selected Convair's FISH design over the A-3 on the basis of RCS, Lockheed adopted chines for its A-4 through A-6 designs. From 80,000 feet, an SR-71 could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth's . Free shipping for many products! The media transcript given to the press at the time still had the earlier RS-71 designation in places, creating the story that the president had misread the aircraft's designation. Thankfully, this possibility seemed less and less likely, and the SR-71 was also capable of conventional intelligence gathering. [3] On average, each SR-71 could fly once per week due to the extended turnaround required after mission recovery. [2] If a surface-to-air missile launch was detected, the standard evasive action was simply to accelerate and outpace the missile. 61-7956, flies its 1,000th sortie, 21 April 1989: SR-71, AF Ser. [118] Opponents estimated the aircraft's support cost at $400 to $700million per year, though the cost was actually closer to $300million. This close-up, head-on view of NASA's SR-71A Blackbird in flight shows the aircraft with an experimental test fixture mounted on the back of the airplane. The major supplier of the ore was the USSR. Maximum speed limit was Mach 3.2, but could be raised to Mach 3.3 if the engine compressor inlet temperature did not exceed 801F (427C). Of 11 successive designs drafted in a span of 10 months, "A-10" was the front-runner. The Blackbirds owes its success to the continuum of aircraft that came before it. A joint project of the Air Force and CIA, the U-2 had great successes flying along the borders of the Soviet Union starting in 1956, eventually completing 24 successful missions. [120] Four months after the plane's retirement, General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., was told that the expedited reconnaissance, which the SR-71 could have provided, was unavailable during Operation Desert Storm. [104], Congress's disappointment with the lack of a suitable replacement for the Blackbird was cited concerning whether to continue funding imaging sensors on the U-2. [12], The A-12 first flew at Groom Lake (Area 51), Nevada, on 25 April 1962. Answer (1 of 7): In fact, common data say that SR-71 could fly at 85,000ft (26km) altitude and up to Mach 3.35 with a cruise speed of Mach 3.1. [70], Nortronics, Northrop Corporation's electronics development division, had developed an astro-inertial guidance system (ANS), which could correct inertial navigation system errors with celestial observations, for the SM-62 Snark missile, and a separate system for the ill-fated AGM-48 Skybolt missile, the latter of which was adapted for the SR-71. Also, the SR-71 program's "product", which was operational and strategic intelligence, was not seen by these generals as being very valuable to the USAF. SR-71 dual-seat reconnaissance aircraft operated by U.S. Air Force. Thus, there are doubts that the US has abandoned the concept of spy planes to complement reconnaissance satellites. This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 07:27. [81][82], SLAR, built by Goodyear Aerospace, could be carried in the removable nose. "If we had one sitting in the hangar here and the crew chief was told there was a mission planned right now, then 19 hours later it would be safely ready to take off. Two SR-71s were lost during these missions, one in 1970 and the second aircraft in 1972, both due to mechanical malfunctions. Los Angeles, California, to Washington, D.C., distance 2,299.7 miles (3,701.0km), average speed 2,144.8 miles per hour (3,451.7km/h), and an elapsed time of 64 minutes 20 seconds. The SR-71's record setting speed and high-altitude flights helped it keep enemies at bay. 3. [121] Rear Admiral Thomas F. Hall addressed the question of why the SR-71 was retired, saying it was under "the belief that, given the time delay associated with mounting a mission, conducting a reconnaissance, retrieving the data, processing it, and getting it out to a field commander, that you had a problem in timelines that was not going to meet the tactical requirements on the modern battlefield. The program's cancellation was announced on 28 December 1966,[13] due both to budget concerns[14] and because of the forthcoming SR-71, a derivative of the A-12. No. The V8 start carts remained at diversion landing sites not equipped with the pneumatic system. [30] Metallurgical contamination was another problem; at one point, 80% of the delivered titanium for manufacture was rejected on these grounds.[31][32]. Kansas City, Missouri, to Washington, D.C., distance 942 miles (1,516km), average speed 2,176 miles per hour (3,502km/h), and an elapsed time of 25 minutes 59 seconds. Related: Here Are The Most Terrifying Aircraft Ever Used By The Military [26], In 1988, Congress was convinced to allocate $160,000 to keep six SR-71s and a trainer model in flyable storage that could become flightworthy within 60 days. In flight, the ANS, which sat behind the reconnaissance systems officer's (RSO's), position, tracked stars through a circular quartz glass window on the upper fuselage. The addition of chines also allowed the removal of the planned canard foreplanes. Brandt, Steven A., Randall J. Stiles and John J. Bertin. From the operator's perspective, what I need is something that will not give me just a spot in time but will give me a track of what is happening. On 26 April 1971, 61-7968, flown by majors Thomas B. Estes and Dewain C. Vick, flew over 15,000 miles (24,000km) in 10 hours and 30 minutes. Some secondary references use incorrect 64- series aircraft serial numbers (e.g. Retired USAF Colonels Don Emmons and Barry MacKean were put under government contract to remake the plane's logistic and support structure. Capable of Mach 3 flight, the SR-71 could survey 100,000 miles of the earth's surface from an altitude of 80,000 feet. Tweet Print Number of views (3119) Tags: Aircraft Records SR-71 Record List No. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the worlds most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration. In 1976, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird broke the worlds record for sustained altitude in horizontal flight at 25,929 meters (85,069 feet). The KC-135Q had a modified high-speed boom, which would allow refueling of the Blackbird at nearly the tanker's maximum airspeed with minimum flutter. Donald, David, ed. The Blackbird landed at over 170 knots (200mph; 310km/h) and deployed a drag parachute to stop; the chute also acted to reduce stress on the tires.[39]. Show more Show more 7:16 Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Cockpit section survived and located at the, 13 June 1962: SR-71 mock-up reviewed by the USAF, 30 July 1962: J58 completes pre-flight testing, 28 December 1962: Lockheed signs contract to build six SR-71 aircraft, 25 July 1964: President Johnson makes public announcement of SR-71, 29 October 1964: SR-71 prototype (AF Ser. There were cases of the aircraft not being ready to fly again for a month due to the repairs needed. [85], The cockpit could be pressurized to an altitude of 10,000 or 26,000ft (3,000 or 8,000m) during flight. ", "Exclusive: Skunk Works Reveals SR-71 Successor Plan", "Skunk Works reveals Mach 6.0 SR-72 concept", "EXCLUSIVE: Secret New UAS Shows Stealth, Efficiency Advances", "There Can Be Only One: The Saga of the Only SR-71C Ever Built", "U-2 and SR-71 Units, Bases and Detachments", "Aircraft On Display: Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird. Merlin, Peter W. "The Truth is Out There SR-71 Serials and Designations". Bleed tubes and bypass doors were designed into the inlet and engine nacelles to handle some of this pressure and to position the final shock to allow the inlet to remain "started". Working through Third World countries and bogus operations, they were able to get the rutile ore shipped to the United States to build the SR-71. Along with its low radar cross-section, these qualities gave a very short time for an enemy surface-to-air missile (SAM) site to acquire and track the aircraft on radar. The highest altitude recorded on an SR-71 Blackbird is 25,929 meters. The aircraft, however, was detected on radar as soon as overflights began and it was only a matter of time before one would be intercepted. The A-12 is a single-seat, twin-engine, twin-tail design, manufactured of a titanium alloy. Kelly Johnson realized that the A-12 airframe might work, and designed an interceptor version of the A-12. The aircraft is silhouetted against the sunset. Named Blackbird due to its unique blue to black color, this aircraft would set numerous world records for speed and altitude. These generals were adept at communicating the value of the SR-71 to a USAF command staff and a Congress who often lacked a basic understanding of how the SR-71 worked and what it did. The SR-71 Blackbird set speed and altitude records that stand to this day. [19] It is a common misconception that the planes refueled shortly after takeoff because the jet fuel leaked. [104] The Skunk Works was able to return the aircraft to service under budget at $72million. In June 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the line-item veto was unconstitutional. Kelly Johnson answered the call. All this left the SR-71's status uncertain until September 1998, when the USAF called for the funds to be redistributed; the USAF permanently retired it in 1998. On that same day, the aircraft set the Speed Over a Closed Course record of 2,193.167 mph. Credit: NASA Concordski: What ever happened to Soviets' spectacular rival to Concorde? [105] Five flights were attempted but on each occasion no photographs of the flight path were obtained due to low visibility.[106]. It reached 20,000 feet (6,100m) of altitude in less than two minutes, and the typical 80,000 feet (24,000m) cruising altitude in another 17 minutes, having used one third of its fuel. Reconnaissance equipment included signals intelligence sensors, a side-looking airborne radar, and a photo camera. [122] Senator Robert Byrd and other senators complained that the "better than" successor to the SR-71 had yet to be developed at the cost of the "good enough" serviceable aircraft. In later life, the radar was replaced by Loral's Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System (ASARS-1). It was located above and behind the student cockpit. Myagkiy and its Weapons System Officer (WSO) were able to achieve a SR-71 lock on at 52,000 feet and at a distance of 120 Km from the target. [11] That same day SR-71 serial number 61-7958 set an absolute speed record of 1,905.81 knots (2,193.2mph; 3,529.6km/h), approximately Mach3.3. The R-12 also had a larger two-seat cockpit, and reshaped fuselage chines. By 1970, the SR-71s were averaging two sorties per week, and by 1972, they were flying nearly one sortie every day. NASA was the final operator of the Blackbird, who used it as a research platform, retiring it in 1999. [33] In practice, the Blackbird would burn somewhat conventional JP-7, which was difficult to ignite. Much of the needed material came from the Soviet Union. And the determination was that if one could take advantage of technology and develop a system that could get that data back real time that would be able to meet the unique requirements of the tactical commander." May 01, 1965. SR-71 Blackbird. Absolute Altitude: 80,257.86 ft (24,390 meters). After a meeting with the CIA in March 1959, the design was modified to have a 90% reduction in radar cross-section. The rotating machinery produced less power, but still enough to run at 100% RPM, thus keeping the airflow through the intake constant. A second round of armed JA-37s from ngelholm replaced the first pair and completed the escort to Danish airspace. [18] The A-12 flew covert missions while the SR-71 flew overt missions; the latter had USAF markings and pilots carried Geneva Conventions Identification Cards. No. Here's a list the top speed, highest and quickest distance between two points. During aerial reconnaissance missions, the SR-71 operated at high speeds and altitudes (Mach 3.2 and 85,000 feet, 25,900 meters), allowing it to outrace or entirely avoid threats. The aircraft flew at more than 2200 mph (Mach 3+ or more than three times the speed of sound) and at altitudes over 85,000 feet. Food was contained in sealed containers similar to toothpaste tubes which delivered food to the crewmember's mouth through the helmet opening. An SR-71 refueling from a KC-135Q Stratotanker during a flight in 1983. "SR-71 Blackbird." In the following years, Blackbird crews provided important intelligence about the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and its aftermath, and pre- and post-strike imagery of the 1986 raid conducted by American air forces on Libya. The primary consumers of this intelligence were the CIA, NSA, and DIA. [N 4] The challenges posed led Lockheed to develop new fabrication methods, which have since been used in the manufacture of other aircraft. No. As the U-2 was called Kellys Angel, or Angel, Lockheeds designs for its successor were designated with an A prefix for Archangel. The CIA gave the contract to Lockheeds A-11, which was modified and secretly re-designated the A-12. St. Louis, Missouri, to Cincinnati, Ohio, distance 311.4 miles (501.1km), average speed 2,189.9 miles per hour (3,524.3km/h), and an elapsed time of 8 minutes 32 seconds. More than a decade after their retirement the Blackbirds remain the world's fastest and highest-flying production aircraft ever built. The same day another SR-71 set an absolute speed record of 3,529.6 kilometers per hour (2,193.2 miles per hour), approximately Mach 3.3. [33], Some SR-71s featured red stripes to prevent maintenance workers from damaging the thin, fragile skin located near the center of the fuselage. YF-12A # 60-6934. On 29 November 2018, the four Swedish pilots involved were awarded medals from the USAF.[116][117]. The SR-71 was the world's fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft throughout its career. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (Air Vanguard) by Crickmore, Paul F. (paperback) at the best online prices at eBay! Sepanjang perkhidmatannya selama 24 tahun dengan Tentera Udara Amerika Syarikat, pesawat SR-71 Blackbird yang boleh terbang selaju Mach 3++ kekal sebagai pesawat paling laju dan berkemampuan terbang paling tinggi pada 80,000 kaki altitude. On 28 July 1976, SR-71 serial number 61-7962, piloted by then Captain Robert Helt, broke the world record: an "absolute altitude record" of 85,069 feet (25,929 m). Its first operational mission was over Vietnam and subsequent missions were flown one to three times per week. On May 1, 1960, a surface-to-air missile explosion knocked down the U-2 of Gary Powers over Soviet airspace. Locals nicknamed the SR-71 Habu, after a poisonous pit viper found on the neighboring Ryukyu Islands. [49] Its "blue light" source star tracker, which could see stars during both day and night, would continuously track a variety of stars as the aircraft's changing position brought them into view. The aircraft was meant to be powered by the Pratt & Whitney J58 engine, but development ran over schedule, and it was equipped instead with the less powerful Pratt & Whitney J75 initially. 61-7976) operational mission flown from Kadena AB over Vietnam, 29 May 1968: CMSgt Bill Gornik begins the tie-cutting tradition of Habu crews' neckties, 3 December 1975: First flight of SR-71A (AF Ser. SAS, autopilot, and manual control inputs would fight the yawing, but often the extreme off-angle would reduce airflow in the opposite engine and stimulate "sympathetic stalls". The SR-71 was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft during the 1960s by Lockheed's Skunk Works division. It was built by Lockheed's "Skunk Works" in the 1960s for the United States Air Force (USAF). Graham, a former 1st-SRS and 9th-SRW commander, presented in 1996 what he viewed as a factual summary, not an opinion, of how the SR-71 provided some intelligence capabilities that none of its alternatives (such as satellites, U-2s, and UAVs) were providing in the 1990s (when the SR-71 was retired and then re-retired from Air Force reconnaissance duty. Mission equipment for the reconnaissance role included signals intelligence sensors, side looking airborne radar, and a camera;[2] the SR-71 was both longer and heavier than the A-12, allowing it to hold more fuel as well as a two-seat cockpit. The event had been classified for over 30 years, and when the report was unsealed, data from the NSA showed that multiple MiG-25s with the order to shoot down the SR-71 or force it to land, had started right after the engine failure. The SR-71's specially designed engines converted to low-speed ramjets by redirecting the airflow around the core and into the afterburner for speeds greater than Mach 2.5. According to Richard Graham, a former SR-71 pilot, the navigation system was good enough to limit drift to 1,000ft (300m) off the direction of travel at Mach3.[73]. The chines also acted like leading-edge extensions, which increase the agility of fighters such as the F-5, F-16, F/A-18, MiG-29, and Su-27. The SR-71 carried a Fairchild tracking camera and an infrared camera,[80] both of which ran during the entire mission. [56], The SR-71 was powered by two Pratt & Whitney J58 (company designation JT11D-20) axial-flow turbojet engines. We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. "Jet Propulsion for Aerospace Applications" second edition, Hesse and Mumford, Pitman Publishing Corporation, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 64-18757, p375, "F-12 Series Aircraft Propulsion System Performance and Development" David Campbell, J. The SR-71 was designed for flight at over Mach3 with a flight crew of two in tandem cockpits, with the pilot in the forward cockpit and the reconnaissance systems officer operating the surveillance systems and equipment from the rear cockpit, and directing navigation on the mission flight path. SR-71C 64-17981)[177], After completion of all USAF and NASA SR-71 operations at Edwards AFB, the SR-71 Flight Simulator was moved in July 2006 to the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field Airport in Dallas, Texas. The SR-71 originated in a post-World War II environment where reconnaissance was in high demand. [64][65], Several exotic fuels were investigated for the Blackbird. 28, 1976 in fact, SR-71 61-7962 set two world records for its class an absolute speed record of 2,193.167 mph and an absolute altitude record of 85,068.997 feet (although SR-71 61-7953 unofficially reached 86,700 feet in 1968). On 28 July 1976, SR-71 serial number 61-7962, piloted by then Captain Robert Helt, broke the world record: an "absolute altitude record" of 85,069 feet (25,929 m). Initially, a bomber variant of the A-12 was requested by Curtis LeMay, before the program was focused solely on reconnaissance. If internal pressures became too great and the spike was incorrectly positioned, the shock wave would suddenly blow out the front of the inlet, called an "inlet unstart". Air Force and NASA. [103], While deployed at Okinawa, the SR-71s and their aircrew members gained the nickname Habu (as did the A-12s preceding them) after a pit viper indigenous to Japan, which the Okinawans thought the plane resembled. The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. Also, with the allocation requiring yearly reaffirmation by Congress, long-term planning for the SR-71 was difficult. [40], The second operational aircraft[41] designed around a stealth aircraft shape and materials, after the Lockheed A-12,[41] the SR-71 had several features designed to reduce its radar signature. Kelly Johnson submitted his proposal for the U-2, essentially a glider with a jet engine and a panning camera in its belly. 64-17972, flying from New York to London in 1 hour 54 minutes and 56 seconds, for an average speed of 1,806.96 mph. The CIA requested designs from aerospace manufacturers for a new aircraft that would not be as susceptible to attack. The A-12 flew missions over Vietnam and North Korea before its retirement in 1968. [90][40], The first flight of an SR-71 took place on 22 December 1964, at USAF Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, piloted by Bob Gilliland. The Blackbird was designed to provide reconnaissance in defended airspace while improving aircrew survivability. 11, November 1974. On 28 July 1976, SR-71 serial number 61-7962, piloted by then Captain Robert Helt, broke the world record: an "absolute altitude record" of 85,069 feet (25,929 m). [81] Initially, the TEOCs could not match the resolution of the A-12's larger camera, but rapid improvements in both the camera and film improved this performance. If the SAM site could track the SR-71 and fire a SAM in time, the SAM would expend nearly all of the delta-v of its boost and sustainer phases just reaching the SR-71's altitude; at this point, out of thrust, it could do little more than follow its ballistic arc. Marshall, Elliot, The Blackbird's Wake, Air & Space, October/November 1990, p. 31. a list of stars used for celestial navigation, 4200th (later, 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, National Museum of the United States Air Force, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Aircraft in fiction Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, List of military aircraft of the United States, List of United States Air Force reconnaissance aircraft, "The SR-71 Blackbird: The Super Spy Plane That Outran Missiles", "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: SR-71 Blackbird", "U.S. Pushes Hard To Build SR-72 Hypersonic Fighter", "Records: Sub-class: C-1 (Landplanes) Group 3: turbo-jet. [29] To control costs, Lockheed used a more easily worked titanium alloy which softened at a lower temperature. [45], Aerodynamicists discovered that the chines generated powerful vortices and created additional lift, leading to unexpected aerodynamic performance improvements. This proportion increased progressively with speed until the afterburner provided all the thrust at about Mach 3. The SR-71 was one of several spy airplanes built to venture into enemy territory without being shot down or even detected. Lockheed found that washing welded titanium requires distilled water, as the chlorine present in tap water is corrosive; cadmium-plated tools could not be used, as they also caused corrosion. 61-7950) delivered to, 22 December 1964: First flight of the SR-71, with Lockheed test pilot Robert J "Bob" Gilliland at Palmdale, 21 July 1967: Jim Watkins and Dave Dempster fly first international sortie in SR-71A, AF Ser. [91][92] The SR-71 reached a top speed of Mach 3.4 during flight testing,[93][94] with pilot Major Brian Shul reporting a speed in excess of Mach 3.5 on an operational sortie while evading a missile over Libya. PBS documentary, Aired: 15 November 2006. According to Aerotime.aero, in the same altitude bracket flew the US Air Force (USAF) SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. [53] After wind tunnel testing and computer modeling by NASA Dryden test center,[54] Lockheed installed an electronic control to detect unstart conditions and perform this reset action without pilot intervention.