Key Points and Summary - The SR-71 Blackbird delivered unmatched Mach-3 recon, but its costs proved fatal. -Each flight hour ran $200,000–$300,000, driven by extreme maintenance, heat-damaged coatings ...
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 ...
What You Need to Know: The SR-71 Blackbird, one of the fastest aircraft ever built, was powered by revolutionary Pratt & Whitney engines using single-crystal turbine blades to endure extreme heat.