Why did the military retire SR71 Blackbirds?

Taboohunter

Why retired:

The SR-71 penetrated hostile territory with comparatively little vulnerability to attack unlike other reconnaissance platforms like the U-2 spy plane. The workhorse U-2, however, operated for considerably less money and generally received reconnaissance assignments while the SR-71s remained in their hangars. The Department of Defense made the decision to terminate the program on November 22, 1989. Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney in June 1990 ordered that three SR-71 aircraft be placed into long-term storage for possible use in a future conflict. The SR-71s did not see service in the Gulf War, however, and most of their aircrews and skilled maintenance force are now unavailable because of the passage of time. As satellite technology involves less human risk and grows and more precise and cost-effective, it is uncertain that the United States will justify the cost of deploying SR-71 intelligence-gathering machines in the future.

As stated above they did not replace it. They switch back to the U2.

Air Force Flew the SR-71.

what is the baddest plane we have now?
A-10C Thunderbolt ll:

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/futureweapons-a-10c-thunderbolt-ii.html

Some say the Aurora, is no longer flying as the super duper spy plane. Us is now getting most of the intelligence information from slow flying satellites, and much more accurately. Here is the picture of a Aurora Plane:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5e/Aurora_x-plane_3.jpg/300px-Aurora_x-plane_3.jpg

Yak Rider

The SR-71 program was incredibly expensive to run.

Some say, and there's some evidence, that a super-secret aircraft program code named "Aurora" replaced the SR-71.

ArmyChemo

Reliable satellite network...

MASTERGRUNT

TR3 black manta

rac3r3

They were too expensive to maintain and fly.

We don't know for sure what the replacement is - google "Project Aurora", that is the what many, including I, believe the replacement is.

Tha air force used it for reconnaissance missions

The "baddest" plane? As in what? I dunno, probably either the F-22 Raptor or the F-35 but I'm pretty sure the Aurora exists so I would think that would be the "baddest" plane.

A57Moon ( gee ok, I got it)

The others are correct. It was the cost involved and the technology overall, though there are still a few advantages to that plane.
The Aurora is supposedly the best thing since butter on toast, but we won't know for sure for some time.

Unless you've been one of the few to have " seen" or "heard" it as it sailed over the coastline?

That Raptor is a bad " shut yo mouth" ...( but I was talking about the plane!) son of a gun...and I'd have to agree.....22 or the 35 are gonna be more expensive in the long run, but then again they all serve different purposes.

And how many of our wonderfully technologically advanced planes are we going to sell worldwide? We've gotta keep something purely ours....

History has shown our allies won't always be our allies.

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