SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft

SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft

Captain: 32.74 meters

Maximum range: 5,400 kilometers

Height : 5.64 meters

Maximum speed: 3529.56 kilometers per hour

Wingspan: 16.94 meters

Maximum ceiling: 25929 meters

SR -71 "Blackbird" is a 3 times the speed of sound long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft launched by the American Lockheed Company in the 1960s. It officially entered service in 1966 and was retired in 1998.

As far as it is concerned, the aircraft uses a lot of advanced technologies. Not only is it an aircraft designed with low-detectability technology, it can also evade enemy aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles at a high speed of Mach 3.

Birth Background

The SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft made its first test flight on December 22, 1964, and then entered the 4200th Air Force Base at Heart of California in January 1966. Served in the Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (later renamed the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing).

On January 26, 1990, due to reduced defense budgets and high operating costs, the U.S. Air Force retired the SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft, but it was reintegrated into the army in 1995 and in 1997 It flew missions and was permanently retired in 1998.

This aircraft is the fastest among manned military aircraft in the world, and holds two records: On July 28, 1976, an SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft set a speed of 3529.56 per hour kilometer record, and an altitude record of 25,929 meters. In actual combat records, no SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft was shot down.

Main Features

In order to reduce costs, the SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft uses titanium alloy that can soften at lower temperatures and is easier to process. The aircraft is usually painted Dark blue (close to black) to enhance thermal radiation cooling and high-altitude camouflage effects.

The main part of the inner skin of the main wing is actually wrinkled. Thermal expansion will cause the smooth skin to tear or curl, and corrugating the skin allows it to stretch vertically to avoid excessive stress and also enhance longitudinal strength.

Combat Performance

Even though the SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft uses a lot of stealth technology, it actually produces huge infrared signatures when flying at high speed. It does not have complete invisibility function. However, relying on its ultra-high speed, the SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance aircraft successfully escaped thousands of targeted attacks, most of which came from Soviet aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles.