The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works. The SR-71 was unofficially named the Blackbird; its crews often called it the Sled, or the Habu ("snake"). The SR-71 line was in service from 1964 to 1998. Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was the man behind many of the design's advanced concepts. The SR-71 was one of the first aircraft to be shaped to reduce radar cross section. However, the aircraft was not stealthy and still had a large enough radar signature to be tracked by contemporary systems. The aircraft's defense was its high speed and operating altitude; if a surface-to-air missile launch was detected, the standard evasive action was to simply accelerate. Thirteen aircraft are known to have been destroyed, all for non-combat related reasons. Wikipedia
SR-71 "Blackbird"
* Type: Strategic Reconnaissance
* Manufacturer: Lockheed Skunk Works
* Designed by "Kelly" Johnson
* Maiden flight: 22 December 1964
* Introduced in 1966, Retired in 1998
* Primary users: United States Air Force, NASA, CIA
* Number built: 32
* Developed from A-12 OXCART
Specifications (SR-71A)
* Crew: 2
* Payload: 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) of sensors
* Length: 107 ft 5 in (32.74 m)
* Wingspan: 55 ft 7 in (16.94 m)
* Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
* Wing area: 1,800 ft2 (170 m2)
* Empty weight: 67,500 lb (30 600 kg)
* Loaded weight: 170,000 lb (77 000 kg)
* Max takeoff weight: 172,000 lb (78 000 kg)
* Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney J58-1 continuous-bleed afterburning turbojets, 32,500 lbf (145 kN) each
* Wheel track: 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)
* Wheel base: 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m)
* Aspect ratio: 1.7
Performance
* Maximum speed: Mach 3.3+ (2,200+ mph, 3530+ km/h) at 80,000 ft (24,000m)
* Range: combat - 2,900 nm (5,400 km), ferry - 3,200 nm (5,925 km)
* Service ceiling: 85,000 ft (25,900m, 16 miles)
* Rate of climb: 11,810 ft/min (60 m/s)
* Wing loading: 94 lb/ft2 (460 kg/m2)
* Thrust/weight: 0.382 |
