In 2013, Lockheed Martin announced the development of the next version of the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. The SR-71 was capable of reaching three times the speed of sound. The SR-72 has even more impressive specifications. The SR-72 is the successor to the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, which is considered to be the fastest aircraft in existence.
Built by Lockheed Martin in the 1960s, the SR-71 Mach 3 can reach speeds in excess of 2,200 mph. It is 3 times faster than the speed of sound. Recon jets were phased out of service in 1998. SR-72 development was announced in 2013.
It will be led by Skunk Works, Lockheed’s advanced development program. Lockheed called the SR-72 a “game changer”. The jet will be an unmanned hypersonic aircraft.
Lockheed claims it will reach speeds above Mach 6 – more than 4,500 mph – and they want the jet to do more than just recon missions with the ability to hit targets. Experts say the jet can reach anywhere in the world within an hour.
Rumours show that the plane has been spotted have circulated on the Internet. Recently, an unmanned aerial vehicle was spotted at a Skunk Works facility. Reports suggest that this could be a preliminary test for the SR-72. Lockheed has confirmed plans to launch a research vehicle in the early 2020s. If all goes well, it won’t be long before the fastest airplane takes to the skies.