The SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest aircraft ever built, was ultimately done in by the Air Force’s most notorious and intractable enemy: budget cuts.

The SR-71 could cruise at speeds exceeding Mach 3 and at altitudes exceeding 80,000 feet—both of which represent performance extremes. At such extremes, the airframe generated heat, which posed ...

Even the best titanium found for the SR-71 was still rejected frequently as the exotic metal is sensitive to corrosion from ...

Curator Dik Daso describes the pressure suit worn by SR-71 crew. Learn more about the Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird on display at the National Air and Space Museum's ...

The SR-71 Blackbird was the world's fastest jet. Capable of of flying as high as 85,000 feet at Mach 3.3 (2,193.2 mph), the Blackbird was used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. It ...