Unofficially nicknamed the "Blackbird," the SR-71 was developed as a long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft capable of flying at speeds over Mach 3.2 (so, yes three times the speed of sound, and then some) and at 85,000 feet.
The first SR-71 to enter service was delivered in 1966 and due to politics, it was retired in 1990. However, the USAF still kept a few SR-71s in operation up until 1998, after a few were brought back to service in 1995. NASA's DFRC at Edwards AFB, CA flew the SR-71 from 1991 until the program was cancelled in late 2001.
I've put a link in the source section about the SR-71, which should provide you with lots of interesting information.
Contrary to what others state, the X-15, while faster cannot be construed as being a real plane, in that it cannot take off from an airfield on its own. It needs to be launched from a carrier craft, where it can then power on and attain very fast speeds and even the edge of space. As for the Space shuttle, it's a glider at best. So, yeah, conventionally speaking, it is (actually was) the world's fastest aircraft.
And if we want to debate the X-15 being the fastest aircraft, it's not so, the X-43A Scramjet holds the speed record at 7,000 mph, compared to the X-15 4,520 mph top speed, but truth be told, the X-43A is a drone aircraft.
Do your home work, the X-15 was faster and the worlds fastest aeroplane is the Space Shuttle. On return to earth it's a glider. Legally it could be flown by a 16 year old. On route it peaks at about 17500 MPH.
They retired the fleet of SR-71's years ago. I think NASA might still have one for high altitude experiments, but for the most part they aren't in use anymore.
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Unofficially nicknamed the "Blackbird," the SR-71 was developed as a long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft capable of flying at speeds over Mach 3.2 (so, yes three times the speed of sound, and then some) and at 85,000 feet.
The first SR-71 to enter service was delivered in 1966 and due to politics, it was retired in 1990. However, the USAF still kept a few SR-71s in operation up until 1998, after a few were brought back to service in 1995. NASA's DFRC at Edwards AFB, CA flew the SR-71 from 1991 until the program was cancelled in late 2001.
I've put a link in the source section about the SR-71, which should provide you with lots of interesting information.
Contrary to what others state, the X-15, while faster cannot be construed as being a real plane, in that it cannot take off from an airfield on its own. It needs to be launched from a carrier craft, where it can then power on and attain very fast speeds and even the edge of space. As for the Space shuttle, it's a glider at best. So, yeah, conventionally speaking, it is (actually was) the world's fastest aircraft.
And if we want to debate the X-15 being the fastest aircraft, it's not so, the X-43A Scramjet holds the speed record at 7,000 mph, compared to the X-15 4,520 mph top speed, but truth be told, the X-43A is a drone aircraft.
Do your home work, the X-15 was faster and the worlds fastest aeroplane is the Space Shuttle. On return to earth it's a glider. Legally it could be flown by a 16 year old. On route it peaks at about 17500 MPH.
Where is the question?
They retired the fleet of SR-71's years ago. I think NASA might still have one for high altitude experiments, but for the most part they aren't in use anymore.