Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!rutgers!att!cbnews!military From: uwm!carroll1.cc.edu!tkopp@uunet.UU.NET (Tom Kopp) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: SR-71 Blackbird question Message-ID: <1990Oct8.030703.12533@cbnews.att.com> Date: 8 Oct 90 03:07:03 GMT References: <1990Sep27.031756.7889@cbnews.att.com> <1990Sep29.155242.7693@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military-request@att.att.com Organization: Carroll College-Waukesha, WI Lines: 39 Approved: military@att.att.com From: uwm!carroll1.cc.edu!tkopp@uunet.UU.NET (Tom Kopp) In article <1990Sep29.155242.7693@cbnews.att.com> ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Allan Bourdius) writes: >From: Allan Bourdius >I think it's a little late to begin asking questions about the SR-71 >since the USAF has sadly put them all in museums or in storage. I don't know. I've heard what everyone has said, but everything I read that carried any weight with me either specified that they were retiring 'nine' SR-71s, or said they were retiring 'some' of them. I have my doubts. They never told us how many were made, and it was never said that these were the 'last' nine remaining. I have two basic theories...either a: they're still flying a handfull of them but only when necessary. or b: they've got something even better. The Aurora project would be nice, but I doubt they're actually capable of going operational with it yet. I'm almost willing to bet money there've been SR-71s over Iraq, Kuwait, etc. in recent months. Anyone else feel this way, or can it be positvely concluded that these WERE the last nine aircraft? On the negative side, I do know it took extreme amounts of time and money to put one over a target, and we have a reasonable satellite system now, but getting a satellite in position seems to me to be tougher than putting a Blackbird on target. It's easier to refuel a '71 than a satellite... -- Thomas J. Kopp - Carroll College, Waukesha, WI tkopp@carroll1.cc.edu uunet!marque!carroll1!tkopp "Some people aim to live the longest. My goal is to live the most." - Me