SR-71 Makes Its First Flight

Dec. 22, 1964
Company pilot Bob Gilliland makes the first flight of the Lockheed SR-71A “Blackbird” strategic reconnaissance aircraft from Palmdale, Calif. He takes the aircraft to an altitude exceeding 45,000 feet and a speed of more than 1,000 miles per hour on the flight.

Related

How the Space Force Is Supporting NASA’s Artemis II Mission

March 31, 2026
In many ways, the Space Force’s role in NASA’s Artemis II mission, scheduled to lift off from the Eastern Range the evening of April 1, is the same as any other launch it supports. Space Launch Delta 45, which oversees operations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., will ensure…

F-35 from Nellis Air Force Base Crashes in Nevada

March 31, 2026
A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., crashed in the sprawling training complex surrounding the base, service officials said March 31. The pilot suffered minor injuries and is being treated after ejecting from the aircraft.

New Acquisition Czars Say They’re Not Trying to Blow Up the System

March 30, 2026
Pentagon leaders, eager to move fast and avoid pitfalls that have plagued defense acquisition in the past, are handing authorities and oversight for some of their biggest programs to officers outside the traditional structure. But the Air Force and Space Force four-stars given those responsibilities say they don’t intend their jobs to be a permanent change to the system.