Crazy Fact: The SR-71 Blackbird Outran 4,000 Missiles
Story by Peter Suciu • 2h ago
The Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” was a true speed demon. No interceptor ever really had a chance of catching it. During the aircraft’s nearly 25 years in service, the Blackbird set numerous speed records, and on July 28, 1976, a Blackbird reached an amazing 2,193.167 miles per hour. Flying at roughly 36.55 miles per minute, or 3,216.4 feet per second, it was faster than a bullet fired from the World War II-era M1 Garand rifle, which had a muzzle velocity of 2,800 feet per second.
The SR-71 was like no other.
The SR-71 earned its reputation for incomparable speed. While no aircraft could catch it, neither could missiles. A dozen Blackbirds were lost to accidents during its service history, but not a single aircraft was shot down by an enemy. It reportedly evaded some 4,000 missiles fired its way.
‘For Them, We Didn’t Exist’
Only one aircraft even has the distinction of achieving a radar lock on this fast-flying U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane. It wasn’t a Soviet interceptor such as the MiG-25, but rather the Swedish-made Saab J37 Viggen fighter that achieved a missile lock and visual contact with the speedy spy plane.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/crazy-fact-the-sr-71-blackbird-outran-4-000-missiles/ar-AA153uq6?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=ec273a2751ac4ac7a618b862ba475f85&ei=13
