New hypersonic aircraft to outpace iconic SR‑71 Blackbird

Nicholas Drummond, a military analyst and former British Army infantry officer reports on the X platform that the United States Air Force is reportedly already equipped with the successor to the world's fastest aircraft to date, the SR-71 Blackbird. The expert refers to rumours heard during the RIAT air shows in the United Kingdom.

21st-century aviation appears to have progressed to the point where achieving new technological milestones poses a significant challenge for aircraft manufacturers. The defence industry naturally develops its projects, refining them by incorporating ever-newer technological solutions and striving to deliver increasingly faster machines.

Since 1976, the American Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird has held the record for the fastest military aircraft in the world. The record-holder accelerated several decades ago to a speed of exactly 3,420 km/h—a speed still unattainable for aircraft today. However, Drummond reported that the Americans are now said to have a successor to the Blackbird.

The experts states that, based on indiscreet public comments by individuals associated with the aviation industry, the US Air Force has already developed a hypersonic aircraft to replace the SR-71. This machine is said to accelerate to speeds over Mach 5, which is over 6,130 km/h.

According to the information provided by the Briton, the new construction from the United States is a strike and reconnaissance aircraft capable of operating at high altitudes and long ranges. The successor to the Blackbird is to be equipped with a dual propulsion system. "A concept similar to Darkstar from Top Gun," notes Drummond.

This rumour may be nothing more than wishful thinking, but an aircraft of this type will appear on the market sooner or later. When it does, it will be a significant change for the aviation industry, predicts the military analyst.

Drummond does not know specific data describing the new machine from the USA. It should be noted that the Americans have not confirmed the information provided by the Brits, so it should be treated as rumours. The fastest aircraft remains the SR-71 Blackbird, a reconnaissance-patrol machine the American company Lockheed produced.

The first flight of the Blackbird took place in December 1964. The aircraft was produced between 1963-1969 and was retired from army service in 1998 (with NASA a year later). Public data indicates that a total of 32 SR-71 units were built, of which 12 were lost in crashes.

The propulsion of these hypersonic aircraft is provided by two Pratt & Whitney JT11D-20B turbojet engines, each delivering 145 kN of thrust. The Blackbird's wingspan reaches almost 17 metres, while the overall length is just under 33 metres, with a height of 5.5 metres. The SR-71's empty mass exceeds 27,215 kilograms. The American machine can operate at an altitude of up to 36,600 metres, while its range exceeds 5,100 kilometres without aerial refuelling.

The SR-71 demonstrated its remarkable performance not only during its record-setting flight in the 1970s but also in 1986 when a Blackbird took off from the United Kingdom, conducted reconnaissance over Libya, and upon return – despite the lack of French approval – entered their airspace. The authorities ordered Mirage fighter jets to be scrambled, but they were unable to intercept the Blackbird due to its performance.