That is really pretty quick. But who would believe that what we see is actually the best they have anyway?
Another claim on that site was that the B2 has anti gravity. wouldn't surprise me, considering its STALL speed is classified.

I find this hard to believe.

This would mean that NASA's whole mach 10, external combustion scramjet testing right now is just a cover, and I cant imagine they are spending that kind of cash just as a deversion.

And another thing: If the tech is that advanced, why arent we seeing more of it in actual crafts in action today? I mean after all, we are at war, what are we saving it for?

I think the SR71 maybe hit mach 5 or so and thats it. I do however believe the B2 uses some sort of advanced system that alters or tricks gravity, for what benifit I do not know. Or at the very least plays with air pressures in front of the leading egdes using some sort of manipulation.

Bottom line: No way in heck the SR71 could do mach 14

LOL .... hard to believe is an understatement. Utter Rubbish comes close to the real thing.

In addition i fail to comprehend the thread starter's logic of dragging India's BrahMos cruise missile (that he refers to as "his" missile) into this . The BrahMos (a develpment of the Yako CM) for God's sake is a CRUISE MISSILE and hits targets at Mach 3 and is perhaps the world's only supersonic cruise missile. Its just started entering service after several sucessful tests.

I see no relavence that the BrahMos might have to the SR-71, nor do i see any reason to laugh at it.

Perhaps Mr.warthog911 will clarify what he intends to convey.

Originally posted by Stealth Spy
LOL .... hard to believe is an understatement. Utter Rubbish comes close to the real thing.

I completely agree utter nonsence I've heard a lot of claims it got close to mach 5 when really pushed but i would even take those with a pinch of salt as well.

I'm not even going to look at the article this time as the mach 14 claim on it's own is enough for me to spot the accuracy.

So let me get this straight, less than 10-12 years after yeagar broke the speed of sound, using ROCKET motors, and about 15 years after the invention of the first jet engine, engineers made a leap to mach 14 flight. And here we are in 2006 and the f-22 goes mach 2. Sounds like complete garbage to me.

The more I research, the more I believe the 71 can't get past mach 4.

Train

LMAO
As much as I love the SR-71...there was no way she was gracing our skies at Mach14.
That article is a hoot...invisibility?
"Fred and George pull the Invisibility Cloak off of Harry"

This is garbage.

The SR-71 is a Mach 3 class aircraft. It coud probably reach Mach 3.5 or 3.7 in a sprint, and cruised at lower speeds.

I know that fighter pilots, wearing g-suits, train extensively to handle the g forces. The pull of 4 or 5 g's can present a "very difficult environment' in which to function. What sort of training could possibly be offered to pilots to learn to cope with 14 g's? Do we really train our pilots to fly while unconscious?

I cannot help but doubt the veracity of these reported speeds. Of course, we do have aircraft that can fly beyond the capability of humans to remain conscious. Perhaps the SR-71 is now a remotely controlled aircraft akin to the Predator? I doubt it.

The old guy probably said 4, as in "I meant Mach 4, did I say 14?"

I did once hear that one of the blackbird pilots commented that if anyone ever broke thier speed record, they'd have to go back up and take it again. That boast aside though, Mach 4-5 is a much more believeable number.

(oh, and that's an A-12 in that picture, Fighter Master, not an SR-71)

The top speed and altitude capabilities of the Blackbirds have long since been declassified. The aircraft had a design cruise speed of Mach 3.2 or approximately 2,100 mph. It would cruise a little faster or slower depending on outside air temperature because it was limited by structural heating factors and compressor inlet temperature (CIT) limitations.

SR-71 pilots and engineers have stated that the aircraft would sometimes exceed Mach 3.2 slightly if the air temperature was cool enough. In higher temperatures, the aircraft was unable to attain design cruise speed due to structural temperature limits.

In 1991, NASA and Lockheed engineers studied the possibility of extending the Mach number capability of the SR-71. They examined the advantages and disadvantages of making the aircraft capable of flying at speeds from Mach 3.3 to as much as Mach 3.8 (the maximum potential of the J58 engine with an extensively modified inlet).

They determined that an enlarged inlet with a water-injection system could provide a large thrust margin increase at Mach 3.5, but there were relatively low benefits and relatively high risks. There were thermal (structural) concerns at speeds of Mach 3.5 and above. Engine compressor inlet temperature was predicted to be marginal at Mach 3.4 and virtually all engine parameters were marginal at Mach 3.5 and unacceptable beyond that speed. Ultimately the Mach extension modifications were not recommended due to the low benefit/cost ratio.

Fastest known Blackbird flights:
YF-12A (60-6936), Mach 3.14 (2,070 mph), 1 May 1965
A-12 (60-6928), Mach 3.29 (2,171 mph), 8 May 1965
SR-71A (61-7972), Mach 3.32 (2,193 mph), 27 July 1976

According to SR-71 pilot Richard Graham: "The design Mach number of the SR-71 is 3.2 Mach. When authorized by the Commander, speeds up to Mach 3.3 may be flown if the CIT limit of 427 degrees C. is not exceeded. I have heard of crews reaching 3.5 Mach inadvertently, but that is the absolute maximum I am aware of."

Ok I now this is slightly off subject but, how come when I post an article I have to do it exactly the right way otherwise a paranoid mod will edit my thread and send me a nasty U2U. But nobody else has to post their thread the right way...

[edit on 3-2-2006 by NWguy83]

Originally posted by Shadowhawk
The top speed and altitude capabilities of the Blackbirds have long since been declassified.....

If this is the case, I need to know two things.

First off, where did you get the information saying it has been declassified?

Secondly. I was at Edwards AFB in October 2003 and spoke to The author of Sled Driver. I tried so hard to get him to tell me the official top speed and he said he was not authorized to discuss anything regarding the maximum acheived top speed. He said it had to do with mission sensitive information. He did tell me that it goes FASTER than is publically disclosed. I took his word and left.

Train

Originally posted by American Mad Man
This is garbage.

The SR-71 is a Mach 3 class aircraft. It coud probably reach Mach 3.5 or 3.7 in a sprint, and cruised at lower speeds.

It crused at Mach 3.2. In severla books they talk about reaching Mach 3.46 or something like that due to an error in the air sampling probe and when they landed most of the wiring had almost been burnt to a crisp.

The author of this "article" is simply not versed on the aircraft he is talking about. The thermodynamics involved with mach 14 flight are simply beyond the Titanium airframes ability to cope with. They were just able to fly it at Mach 3.2 let alone 4X that speed.

That article looks like a bad movie script. Cliché after cliché, he just forgot to mention the Aurora (or is that plane that makes the B-2 feel like a toy?)

Anyway I cannot believe this crap that somehow we couldn't developed a plane like the blackbird...
I means its extraordinary, but is very much human. There is no weird element on it.
just look at a picture of the cockpit...

Its made of titanium no some weird composite that came out of nowhere, and about the missile, there was a thread discussing wether a current missile could actually shoot it down, and for many (including myself) the answer would be no.

In response to BigTrain's question, the information about max design speed comes from CIA, Lockheed and Air Force documents (test reports, specifications, operational histories, etc.) that were formerly classified at the SECRET and TOP SECRET level and have since been declassified without deletions.

I dont think it would go Mach 14 but if it did, It would smoke off the Aurora!

I wish Britain/other NATO countries like Canada or Australia had the
SR-71/A-12 or somthing like it.

Should have well been a high altitude Interceptor.





[edit on 3-2-2006 by Browno]

by my father, Colonel USAF Ret., that my grandfather (General USAF ret.) had told him that the SR71 should run mach 4 but had never been pushed to it's limits. He told me that whenever someone posted a faster speed, the USAF would just have the SR71 pilots throttle that baby up a bit, enough to blow the old record away, but it never taxed the potential of the SR71. My grandfather was the only AF general checked out in the SR71 before he retired in 1972.