Is the Lockheed Black Bird still in use?, page 2

SR-71 Grounded, On April 15, 1996, Deputy Secretary of Defense John White directed the Air Force to ground the Air Force's SR-71s due to conflicting language in section 304 of the National Security Act of 1947, which states that the DoD may not obligate or expend funds for any intelligence program, even though it has been appropriated, unless there is an independent authorization for that intelligence related activity. Also complicating this is the "Intelligence Authorization Act" which gives the force of law to the conference report accompanying the act. Also Section 102 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY-96 provides funding for the modification of the SR-71, but no funding for operating the SR-71. All operations have been suspended, there will be no training, or operational flights, (test flights related to the modification to the SR can still be carried out, though) till the language conflict has been resolved! -Inside the Air Force; and Richard Graham; and Aviation Week & Space Technology

www.blackbirds.net...

10 Oct 1997
Final USAF SR-71 flight, Major Bert Garrison(Pilot) and Capt Domingo Ochotorena(RSO) flew SR-71A #967, on the Brandy route, duration of 4.1hours, Tom McLeary flew the chase aircraft, and Ted Carlson photographed the flight(at the time no one knew that this would be the final flight!) (BG)
15 Oct 1997
President Clinton Kills SR Funding with Line Item Veto (RG, AH, ABC News)
31 Oct 1997
NASA SR-71 #844 (AF #980/Lockheed #2031) Flew for the first time with the Aerospike engine piggybacked on it, this is the first in a series of flights in the LASRE(Linear Aerospike and SR-71 Experiment). It reached a speed of Mach 1.19 at an altitude of 27,000-33,000 ft. (NASA, AWST)
30 June 1999
Final shutdown of the SR-71 Program, Det 2 is shutdown, offically ending the USAF SR-71 Program
17 Dec 2002
NASA #831(956/2007) transferred to Kalamazoo AirZoo Museum, Kalamazoo, Michigan (NASA)

www.blackbirds.net...

Subject: SR-71 TERMINATION

FM HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC//XOI

1. ON 6 MAR 98, THE AIR FORCE RECEIVED THE SECDEF MEMORANDUM WHICH APPROVED THE PERMANENT RETIREMENT OF THE SR-71. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE PROCEEDED CAUTIOUSLY WITH PROGRAM TERMINATION ACTIONS DUE TO THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION ON THE LINE ITEM VETO AND RELATED CONSIDERATIONS. WE ARE NOW READY TO PROCEED WITH FULL PROGRAM TERMINATION.

2. UPON RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE, ALL AGENCIES TAKE ALL REQUIRED ACTIONS TO PERMANENTLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY RETIRE THE SR-71. REQUEST MAJCOMS COORDINATE ALL ACTIONS WITH THEIR COMMAND FMS IN IDENTIFYING ACTUAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS DEACTIVATION. ALL UNFUNDED REQUIREMENTS SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO SAF/FMBO.

3. THIS IS AN AF/XOI AND SAF/AQI COORDINATED MESSAGE.

End of Message

www.wvi.com...

The last SR-71 was sent to a museum in 2002. The last USAF flight was performed in 1999. There is no more funding for them, and there will be no more funding for them again. IIRC that quote about reactivating them was from shortly after their retirement when the USAF began training pilots again for the ANTICIPATED return to service of the Blackbirds (two at least), but the funding for everything but training and test flights was removed, and they were never returned to full service.

[edit on 6/5/2006 by Zaphod58]