Museum Audio Tour 51: Cold War Gallery: New Capabilities

DAYTON, OH, UNITED STATES

12.31.1969

Audio by NMUSAF PA 

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

The demand for information only grew as the Cold War went along. New capabilities in strategic reconnaissance were developed and the U-2 was modified with improved sensors and cameras. The most visible change to the U-2 was the introduction of the U-2R in 1967. Its 103-foot wingspan was 23 feet wider than earlier U-2s, and it had a more powerful engine. This significantly expanded the aircraft’s range and endurance. The revolutionary SR-71 was a major and crucial leap forward in Cold War reconnaissance. One look at this exotic aircraft and it’s easy to see it was built to fly high and fast. Unofficially called the “Blackbird,” this aircraft was developed from the YF-12 and A-12. Throughout its nearly 24-year career, the SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft. From 80,000 feet, it could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth's surface per hour. It could also fly at three times the speed of sound. The SR-71 was retired in 1990, but was briefly returned to service. It was also used by NASA. This long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft protected the United States tremendously during a volatile time in history.

• Date Taken: 12.31.1969
• Date Posted: 09.02.2015 13:54
• Category: Newscasts
• Audio ID: 41977
• Filename: 1509/DOD_102704410.mp3
• Length: 00:01:16
• Album: Museum Audio Tour
• Track #: 51
• Location: DAYTON, OH, US