SR-71 Blackbird: How Fast Can This Cold War Spy Plane Fly?

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, an exceptional aircraft from the Cold War era designed for strategic reconnaissance, featured two powerful Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojet engines, each boasting an impressive static thrust of 32,500 lbf. Operating at its prime efficiency around Mach 3.2, which served as its typical cruising speed, the Blackbird relied on the afterburner during takeoff, providing 26% of the total thrust. As the aircraft accelerated, the afterburner’s contribution gradually increased, ultimately supplying all the necessary thrust at approximately Mach 3.