Military expert appreciates US chances to turn SR-71 Blackbird into a carrier of hypersonic missiles

Lockheed Martin

Military expert appreciates US chances to turn SR-71 Blackbird into a carrier of hypersonic missiles | Word and deed: 

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The American scout SR-71 remains the fastest aircraft in history.


Russia's successes in the creation of hypersonic weapons are forcing the United States more and more to recall its old achievements, which turned out to be unnecessary with the end of the Cold War. A military expert, Honored Pilot of the Russian Federation, Major General Vladimir Alexandrovich Popov, in a commentary for Slovo and Delo, said whether the American reconnaissance aircraft SR-71, better known as Blackbird or Blackbird, could return to life on this wave.

At the beginning of the year, the Russian dagger hypersonic systems successfully proved themselves in the framework of the exercises of the Black Sea and Northern Fleets, as reported by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Russia has already put into service this new weapon and is practicing its use. Naturally, this cannot but bother the US military. However, to create an analogue of the “Dagger" they need a high-speed and lifting carrier, which is our MiG-31.

The well-known American magazine National Interest decided to remind its readers of the reconnaissance aircraft Lockheed SR-71, which still retains an absolute speed record for guided aircraft. This machine replaced the slow-moving U-2, which became completely useless with the development of Soviet air defense systems.

The Blackbird is capable of speeds exceeding 3,000 kilometers per hour, and this gives it the potential to serve as an accelerating unit in the American complex of hypersonic weapons, similar to our Dagger. However, as Vladimir Popov explained to the Slovo and Delo correspondent, this issue needs to be carefully analyzed by specialized specialists, since the unique characteristics of the SR-71 had to pay for the increased complexity in operation.

“The SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft was designed for photo reconnaissance, electronic intelligence. The appropriate equipment was placed on it. But structurally the plane was very moody. For example, he has a kind of fuel. It is gel-like, it is not ordinary kerosene, like our MiG-25. If desired, they can probably restore it technologically: to recreate or carry out repairs and deep modernization. But many design features can impose certain restrictions, and its use may become economically disadvantageous or simply unsafe, ”the expert explained.

So, Vladimir Popov recalled that the design features made it impossible to take off a fully-fueled SR-71. The plane took off with half-empty tanks, and then, after the car body was heated, and due to the expansion of the material, specially provided slots in the structure were closed, it was refueled in the air.

And this is far from the only special procedure that accompanied the preparation of each departure of the SR-71. In this regard, the question arises whether it makes sense to put such a machine back in operation, if each of its flights needs to be prepared in almost a day. According to Vladimir Popov, this is really a big problem, but today it is not so relevant due to the small number of deployed hypersonic missiles.

“There is a big shortage of time when you can be late with a flight. But hypersonic missiles are not massively armed. Even while we still have 2-3 squadrons, they are on alert with these ammunition. And in the near future, I think, there will be a maximum of one or two squadrons. This is enough to repel and deliver local hits. And when it comes to massive strikes - while other countries in the world and we are not ready for this. "

However, as Popov noted, work is already underway in Russia to equip Tu-22 M3-M missile carriers with hypersonic missiles from the Dagger complex. Heavy, long-range bombers will be able to carry several of these ammunition, and, apparently, over a greater distance than the MiG-31. And this will significantly increase the possibility of using this type of weapon.

Thus, the United States worries not in vain. The advantage that Russia has in terms of hypersound will not perish in itself. Therefore, the Pentagon will do its utmost to eliminate it. And if for this SR-71 itself can serve, or developments on this machine, it will be done. That's just the legendary aircraft designer Clarence Johnson, who created a truly unique American reconnaissance aircraft, left this world in the same year in which his brainchild was put into reserve. And the task of conquering hypersound requires precisely ingenious designers.

Grigory Azhdanin


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