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The SR-71 Blackbird Could Hit Mach 3.56 and Defeated 4,000 Missile Attacks
Summary and Key Points: The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, introduced many years ago, remains the fastest production aircraft, flying at more than 2,200 mph (Mach 3.2 ) and reaching altitudes over 85,000 feet. It famously set speed records and evaded 4,000 missile attempts without a single combat loss.
-During a mission over Libya in 1986, it achieved an extraordinary speed of Mach 3.5.
-Additionally, the A-12 Oxcart, a predecessor developed for the CIA, briefly reached Mach 3.56, surpassing the SR-71's speeds. Both aircraft demonstrate unparalleled speed and performance in aviation history.
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was a very fast plane. How fast?
According to NASA, "Developed for the USAF as reconnaissance aircraft more than 30 years ago, SR-71s are still the world's fastest and highest-flying production aircraft. The aircraft can fly more than 2200 mph (Mach 3 or more than three times the speed of sound) and at altitudes of over 85,000 feet."
As Maya Carlin previously reported, it is also true that no interceptor ever........
© The National Interest
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