The SR-71 Blackbird’s earned world record for speed has never been topped by a successor.
The fastest jet to ever fly the skies is surprisingly not a fifth-generation platform designed in the last decade. In fact, the world-record-breaking aircraft that holds this title is a Cold War-era conception. Designed in secrecy in the 1950s, the American-made SR-71 “Blackbird,” perhaps shockingly, even has its F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor successors beat when it comes to speed. This high-altitude, long-range, Mach-3+ strategic reconnaissance jet incorporated “impossible” technologies for its time. In fact, when the Blackbird was designed, “everything had to be invented,” according to the head of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works team that made the SR-71 a reality.
The SR-71 Blackbird’s Origin Story
During the Cold War, the United States relied heavily on surveillance of the Soviet Union made possible by spy aircraft. The Lockheed-designed U-2 “Dragon Lady” reconnaissance aircraft was developed for the CIA and Air Force to be able to capture all-weather, day-and-night intelligence at high altitudes about USSR territory. For four years, the U-2 spy plane proved to be effective, particularly at capturing intel surrounding Soviet military bases. However, in 1960, a U-2 piloted by Gary Powers was shot down by a Soviet surface-to-air missile. Clearly, the USSR was ramping up its anti-aircraft capabilities, rendering America’s need for a replacement aircraft that could fly faster and at higher altitudes than the U-2 in order to be unreachable. Ultimately, the SR-71 was fielded and has remained arguably one of the most respected aircraft to ever fly.
The SR-71 Blackbird’s Specs and Capabilities
In order to effectively evade the USSR’s advancing aerial threats, the SR-71’s stealth and speed were prioritized. The platform was developed with twin vertical tails positioned inward, and chines around the fuselage to achieve these needs. Pratt & Whitney designed the J58 engines that powered the Blackbird. As explained by Air and Space, “The J58 had a single-shaft rotor design, with an 8.8:1 pressure ratio compressor, which incorporated a unique compressor bleed bypass at high Mach number. When opened, bypass valves bled air from the fourth stage, and six ducts routed it around the compressor rear stages, combustor, and turbine. The bleed air re-entered the turbine exhaust around the front of the afterburner, where it was used for increased thrust and cooling.” Notably, the top speed provided by the J58 also caused the SR-71 to suffer from extreme temperatures caused by friction in flight. Engineers discovered that incorporating a titanium exterior would allow the Blackbird to be able to withstand the crazy high temperatures caused by this high speed.
Despite the Blackbird’s unparalleled capabilities, the platform was retired by the end of the 1980s. Since the SR-71 cost more than $100,000 per hour to fly, the aircraft was deemed too costly and redundant, especially coupled with the jet’s high maintenance requirements. Even though the platform’s service was short-lived, the Blackbird’s earned world record for speed has never been topped by a successor.
About the author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: PJSAero / Shutterstock.com
