Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

A long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft, the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” was developed and manufactured by the American aerospace firm Lockheed Corporation. The SR-71 is known by several monikers, including “Blackbird” and “Habu.” The Lockheed Skunk Works division created the SR-71 as a black project in the 1960s from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft. The SR-71’s shape was inspired by the Lockheed A-12, one of the first aircraft to be built with a reduced radar cross-section. Before the program focused solely on reconnaissance, Curtis LeMay requested an A-12 bomber variant. The SR-71 could hold more fuel and featured a two-seat cockpit since it was heavier and longer than the A-12. The SR-71 was revealed to the public in July 1964, and the United States Air Force (USAF) started employing it in January 1966. For primarily political reasons, the USAF retired the SR-71 in 1989. A few were briefly resurrected in the 1990s before their second retirement in 1998. The Blackbird’s final operator, NASA, used it as a research platform until it was again retired in 1999.

Mission equipment for the plane’s aerial reconnaissance included signals intelligence sensors, side-looking airborne radar, and a camera. The SR-71 could outrun or entirely avoid threats during missions since it operated at incredible speeds and altitudes (Mach 3.2 and 85,000 feet, 25,900 meters), respectively. If a surface-to-air missile launch was detected, the standard evasive action was simply to accelerate and outpace the missile. 12 of the 32 produced aircraft were destroyed in accidents; none were damaged by enemy action.

Variant

· SR-71A was the main production variant.

· SR-71B was a trainer variant.

· SR-71C was a hybrid trainer aircraft composed of the rear fuselage of the first YF-12A (S/N 60–6934) and the forward fuselage from an SR-71 static test unit. The YF-12 had been wrecked in a 1966 landing accident. It has been reported that this Blackbird was seemingly not straight and had a yaw at supersonic speeds. However, this was caused by a misaligned pitot tube saying a 4° yaw that was not actually present. It was soon corrected and then flew as usual. It was nicknamed “The Bastard”.

Specifications

General characteristics

· Crew: 2; Pilot and reconnaissance systems officer (RSO)

· Length: 107 ft 5 in (32.74 m)

· Wingspan: 55 ft 7 in (16.94 m)

· Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)

· Wheel track: 16 ft 8 in (5 m)

· Wheelbase: 37 ft 10 in (12 m)

· Wing area: 1,800 sq ft (170 m2)

· Aspect ratio: 1.7

· Empty weight: 67,500 lb (30,617 kg)

· Gross weight: 152,000 lb (68,946 kg)

· Max takeoff weight: 172,000 lb (78,018 kg)

· Fuel capacity: 12,219.2 US gal (10,174.6 imp gal; 46,255 L) in 6 tank groups (9 tanks)

· Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J58 (JT11D-20J or JT11D-20K) afterburning turbojets, 25,000 lb (110 kN) thrust each

JT11D-20J 32,500 lbs (144.57 kN) wet (fixed inlet guidelines)

JT11D-20K 34,000 lbs (151.24 kN) wet (2-position inlet guidelines)

Performance

Maximum speed: 1,910 km (2,200 mph, 3,540 km/h) at 80,000 ft (24,000 m)

· Maximum speed: Mach 3.3

· Ferry range: 2,824 nmi (3,250 mi, 5,230 km)

· Service ceiling: 85,000 ft (26,000 m)

· Rate of climb: 11,820 ft/min (60.0 m/s)

· Wing loading: 84 lb/sq ft (410 kg/m2)

· Weight/Thrust: 0.44

Avionics

3,500 lb (1,588 kg) of mission equipment

Itek KA-102A 36–48 in (910–1,220 mm) camera

Designation as SR-71

The SR-71 designation follows the pre-1962 bomber series; the XB-70 Valkyrie was the last aircraft developed under the string. However, a bomber variant, the Blackbird, briefly received the designation B-71, which was retained when the type changed to SR-71.

32 SR-71s were produced in all, including 29 SR-71As, two SR-71Bs, and one SR-71C.

Retirement

The USAF had not budgeted for the aircraft, and UAV developers were concerned that their programs would suffer if money were shifted to upkeep the SR-71s. Also, with the allocation requiring yearly reaffirmation by Congress, long-term planning for the SR-71 was complex. The USAF tried to ground the program in 1996, claiming that specific funding had not been approved. Congress reauthorized the funds, but in October 1997, President Bill Clinton attempted to revoke the $39 million designated for the SR-71 by using the line-item veto. In June 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the line-item veto was unconstitutional. Due to all of this, the SR-71’s future was uncertain until September 1998, when the USAF ordered for the funds to be reassigned; the USAF officially retired it in 1998

The two final airworthy Blackbirds were operated by NASA until 1999. Except for the two SR-71 aircraft and a few D-21 drones retained by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (later renamed the Armstrong Flight Research Center), all other Blackbirds have been relocated to museums.