Key Points - The official retirement of the SR-71 Blackbird in 1990 was driven more by internal US Air Force politics and budget priorities than by high operational costs or obsolescence, according to ...

The Blackbird’s operational record was impeccable. Known as one of the most awe-inspiring achievements in the history of aviation, Lockheed Martin’s SR-71 Blackbird was the pinnacle of twentieth ...

The SR-71 is perhaps the most iconic Cold War spy aircraft, famous for many record-setting flights. Seemingly impervious to loss by enemy defenses, a dozen Blackbirds were lost to accidents. On July ...

The legendary SR-71 Blackbird retains the record for America’s fastest manned aircraft—ever. While almost everyone has heard of the American-made F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II platforms, many are ...

There are many high-speed air vehicles in the world today, with some of them, namely rockets and missiles, being capable of reaching many times the speed of sound. But only one, the legendary Lockheed ...

On the cover of Aviation Week’s Jan. 20, 1990, issue, a U.S. Air Force/Lockheed SR-71 flies over Lake Almanor in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Air Force had announced the phasing out of the program ...

The SR-71 Blackbird is famous for many things: its unmatched speed, its stealth, and its distinctive black paint. But look closely at its landing gear, and you'll notice something surprising: ...