**LEAD STORY**
America's premier spy plane that first flew in 1966 is once again rising into the air after a five year hiatus. The SR-71 Blackbird is back and flying at up to 15 miles above the ground at a scorching speed of more than three times the speed of sound.
The SR-71's primary mission is to take intelligence photos of enemy installations and forces, without being shot down. According to United States Air Force Captain Michael Zimmerman, who is managing the plane's restoration program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, "The plane is the only one of its kind. It's the highest-flying, fastest manned reconnaissance platform in service today."
The man who oversees the Air Force's entire high-altitude recon fleet from Beale Air Force Base in California is Colonel Robert Behler. Behler is the commander of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. About the SR-71, he says, "It's without a doubt...a marvel of American ingenuity."
The SR-71's are based at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The plane carries a crew of two and can fly high enough to see the curvature of the Earth. It is called "Blackbird" because of its dark and stealthy appearance. The plane is equipped with camera, radar, and infrared systems. A new capability on the plane is a radio link that allows instaneous radar images to be relayed to ground. It no longer has to land and drop off its film.
In 1990, the 12-plane fleet of SR-71's was retired because of their high cost to maintain. But in September of 1995, several of the Blackbirds were taken out of mothballs in effort to bolster some known gaps in United States intelligence-gathering capabilities. Today, the SR-71 costs $39,000 an hour to operate.
The United States does have other reconnaissance planes. They are the U-2 and the RC-135. But these two planes are not as fast or are able to fly as high as the SR-71.
In 1995, Congress approved $100 million to reactivate three of the Blackbirds. Two of the three will be used for intelligence missions and one will be used for training by NASA. Officially unconfirmed reports suggest that the SR-71 is being used in the vicinity of Bosnia and may have flown missions in or near Korea in recent months.
Putting the planes back into service was not easy. Needed spare parts were no longer being made. This was overcome by visits to salvage yards. A very vital sealant that is used to prevent fuel leaks was no longer being made bacause it contained a carcinogen. Captain Zimmerman said, "That was our big show-stopper. Without fuel-tank sealant, it never would have gotten off the ground." The Air Force solved the problem by arranging to buy a lifetime supply of the needed sealant.
The SR-71 does have its critics. Their main complaint is its operating cost. In answering the critics, Colonel Behler says, "It's a costly airplane, but it's very unique in that it can do things that no other plane can presently do."
(c) EmergencyNet News Service, 1996, All Rights Reserved.