US Air Force rumoured to possess new hypersonic aircraft

The United States Air Force is reportedly already equipped with the successor to the world's fastest aircraft, the SR-71 Blackbird, as reported by Nicholas Drummond, a military analyst and former British Army infantry officer, on the X platform. The expert refers to rumours heard during the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) air shows in the United Kingdom.

21st-century aviation seems to have developed to the point where achieving new technological milestones poses a significant challenge for aircraft manufacturers. The defense industry continues to develop its projects, refining them by incorporating ever-newer technological solutions and striving to deliver increasingly faster machines.

Since 1976, the world's record-holder for the fastest military aircraft has been the American Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The record-holder accelerated several decades ago to a speed of exactly 3,418 km/h, still unattainable for aircraft today. However, Drummond reports that the Americans are now said to have a successor to the Blackbird.

The expert informs X that "indiscreet public comments from industry insiders suggest the US Air Force has developed a hypersonic aircraft to replace the SR-71." This machine is said to accelerate to speeds over Mach 5, which is over 6,125 km/h.

According to the information provided by Drummond, the new aircraft from the United States is a strike and reconnaissance aircraft capable of operating at high altitudes and long ranges. The successor to the Blackbird is to be equipped with a dual propulsion system, a concept similar to Darkstar from Top Gun.

This rumour may be nothing more than wishful thinking, but a military analyst predicts that an aircraft of this type will appear on the market sooner or later, and when it does, it will be a significant change for the aviation industry.

Drummond does not know specific data describing the new machine from the USA. It should be noted that the Americans have not confirmed the information provided by the Briton, so it should be treated as rumours. The fastest aircraft remains the SR-71 Blackbird, a reconnaissance-patrol machine produced by the American company Lockheed.

The Blackbird's first flight took place in December 1964. The aircraft was produced between 1963 and 1969 and retired from army service in 1998 (with NASA a year later). Public data indicates that 32 SR-71 units were built, of which 12 were lost in crashes.

Two Pratt & Whitney JT11D-20B turbojet engines, each delivering approximately 145 kN of thrust, propel these hypersonic aircraft. The Blackbird's wingspan reaches almost 17 metres, while its overall length is just under 33 metres, with a height of 5.5 metres. The SR-71's empty mass exceeds 27,200 kg. The American machine can operate at an altitude of up to 36,575 metres, while its range exceeds 5,100 km without aerial refuelling.

The SR-71 demonstrated its remarkable performance during its record-setting flight in the 1970s and in 1986 when a Blackbird took off from the United Kingdom, conducted reconnaissance over Libya, and—upon return—entered their airspace despite the lack of French approval. The authorities ordered Mirage fighter jets to be scrambled but could not intercept the Blackbird due to its performance.