In the 1960s, fearing that the Soviets would shoot down U-2 spy planes, the CIA and the Air Force worked together to build a new aircraft that flew higher and faster: the SR-71.
It holds records for being the highest-flying plane and has been in service longer than any other plane.
However, the story begins with another plane: a CIA aircraft called, in fact, the U-2 which was widely known for its design and function as a spy plane, although it could also carry weapons.
The first U-2 flight was on August 1, 1955, while the SR-71’s (nicknamed “Blackbird”) design was so advanced that when it made its first flight in 1962, it flew faster than any jet fighter at the time.
As it turns out, the SR-71 was so fast that it didn’t need any defensive weapons! The fastest jet fighter at the time had a top speed of Mach 2.2, while the SR-71 could fly at Mach 3.3—fast enough to outrace not only enemy fighters but also anti-aircraft missiles. And if an enemy tried to capture or shoot down one of these planes, they’d have little luck: all sensitive information on board is destroyed by remote control in an instant if communication with headquarters is lost.
Designing a plane that broke the sound barrier was an unprecedented challenge. The primary challenge that Lockheed engineers faced was designing a plane that could break the sound barrier, which had never been done before. To do this, they knew that they would need to push the limits of what was technologically possible at the time. Another issue to consider was how to keep pilots safe in an environment where most other planes were experiencing abnormal heating and pressure changes.
Understanding the design of the SR-71 fuselage is essential to understanding the aircraft’s capabilities, and why it was so instrumental in helping military personnel during the Cold War. The fuselage of the SR-71 was made up of lightweight materials designed to withstand extreme heat and friction. They first decided to use titanium for the most important aircraft components because this material helps prevent the heat you’d expect at supersonic speeds without weighing down a plane too much, but it took some time to develop new methods for machining this metal. The end result was a sleek and aerodynamic design with a high-quality titanium skeleton.
So, to protect against extreme heat and friction, much of the aircraft’s fuselage was constructed precisely out of titanium alloys, which were more expensive but lighter than other metals that could withstand such high temperatures. In fact, because of how hot this highly advanced airplane became during flight, it burned off its own paint! The engineers who designed this ingenious aircraft knew that when flying at such high speeds, there would be a lot of expansion due to heat—in fact, there’d be about an inch’s worth! To allow for this movement without damaging the structure of the plane itself (which could have led to a loss of control), special joints called bellows were incorporated into its design. While many aspects of this revolutionary plane’s exterior are awe-inspiring and impressive on their own, we haven’t even mentioned what makes them truly unique: their windows. Unlike those on any other commercial or military aircraft at that time (or since then!), these windows were made out of quartz instead of ordinary glass. This is because they had to withstand incredibly intense amounts of heat while still allowing pilots to see clearly outside—a feat no ordinary glass could accomplish!
The SR-71 was designed to be able to dodge Soviet surface-to-air missiles, and it was used for the same purpose. In other words, the plane’s incredible speed and altitude allowed it to evade the most common methods of military defense used during the Cold War.
Satellite technology could have been another option for gathering intelligence about Russian military actions, but these satellites would often be shot down by Soviet lasers before they’d gotten a chance to collect much data. The USAF needed an alternative that would allow them to gather information without endangering as many resources.
The SR-71 is one of just three planes to hold both world speed and altitude records (the others are the X-15 and Lockheed’s own YF-12).
For any aviation enthusiast, the SR-71 Blackbird is a pinnacle of engineering, aerodynamic craftsmanship, and cutting-edge military innovation. One of only three planes to hold both world speed and altitude records (the others are the X-15 and Lockheed’s own YF-12), the SR-71 was one of the most impressive feats of military aviation ever produced. The plane’s unique design allowed it to avoid detection from radar by flying at such high speeds that no existing missile could catch it, or flying so high that any missiles launched would have difficulty reaching it in time. With such high power and performance, coolant issues were a consistent problem for pilots; this required that they wear protective gear whenever flying due to the extreme heat released from the plane upon landing.
Using the SR-71 actually lowered the cost of gathering intelligence because SOFAR bombs cost less than spy satellites.
In the late 1980s, a Soviet spy satellite known as the KOLOKOL-1 was launched into orbit to photograph military sites in the United States. However, it was intercepted by an SR-71 aircraft and destroyed, demonstrating that SR-71 reconnaissance flights could be even more effective than spy satellites at gathering intelligence. Additionally, using the SR-71 actually lowered the cost of gathering intelligence because SOFAR bombs cost less than spy satellites.
Another benefit of using SOFAR bombs is that they can be used for a variety of missions, including measuring water temperatures; measuring currents; guiding torpedoes and depth charges; remotely triggering underwater cash registers, and conveying scientific data between researchers. This means that you get more bang for your buck (both literally and metaphorically) when you use them on aircraft like the SR-71 instead of costly space shuttles or spy satellites.
There have never been any confirmed enemy kills of an SR-71, though there were several near misses by Soviet surface-to-air missiles.
A pilot who flew the SR-71, Richard Graham said in a 2003 interview, “I’ve always felt that the Blackbird’s greatest accomplishment was in its very existence. It represented such a tremendous technological breakthrough in so many areas that it seems to defy description. I’ve often said that if you gave a handful of monkeys each a piece of the puzzle, there’s no way they would ever put it all together again.”
The aircraft had never been shot down despite several near misses from Soviet surface-to-air missiles. When asked about this fact, Major James Easton said that “the speeds we were flying, combined with our altitude and our radar cross-section—or lack thereof—really made it tough for the bad guys to get us.” He also explained that the plane could simply outrun or outclimb any missile which came close to hitting it. We’re guessing that most pilots wouldn’t be this laid back if they had faced years of trying to evade missiles!
The Air Force retired most of its Blackbirds in 1990 as satellite technology improved, but for a time put four back into service until 1998, when they were permanently retired.
The SR-71 was expensive to maintain, costing $200,000 per hour to operate. The plane also required a crew of four and an ample amount of fuel. But even though the SR-71’s missions were covert, these costs made it difficult for the Air Force to continue flying them.
The development and production of the SR-71 series, which began in 1964 and ended with its final flight on December 14th, 1998, is a great example of America’s technological superiority over other nations during this time period.
The SR-71 can only be used in special conditions. It is not a bomber, fighter, or transport. It’s a spy plane and has been used for espionage on numerous occasions. Just how fast does the SR-71 travel? Approximately 2,000 mph and is still considered to be the fastest manned aircraft in existence.
The Nighthawk held the title of the fastest plane in the world for over 30 years, until it was finally surpassed by its Soviet rival. Despite this, there are a number of disadvantages that have prevented other projects from achieving their level of speed. For now, the SR-71 is still the fastest plane in the world.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the SR-71’s history is how relevant it remains to the future of military aviation. Although not quite as fast as hypersonic vehicles being developed today, the SR-71 still flies too fast for interception by most anti-aircraft weapons and is capable of business speed, which is nothing to scoff at. While manned spy planes may have lost some of their relevance since satellites can perform similar intelligence-gathering missions with much greater accuracy, the Tu-144 illustrated that too much information can be gathered through high altitude reconnaissance. The question now facing defense strategists is whether or not the development of hypersonic planes will render the SR-71 obsolete by virtue of them being able to gather intelligence from enemy territory faster than any aircraft previously known.