The Lockheed SR-71, unofficially known as the Blackbird and by its crews as the Habu, was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works (also responsible for the U-2). It flew from 1964 to 1998.

Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was the man behind many of the designs advanced concepts. The SR-71 was one of the first aircraft to be shaped to reduce radar signature. However, the aircraft was not stealthy and still had a fairly large radar cross-section, and was visible on ATC radar for hundreds of miles, even when not using its transponder. This fact is further corroborated by the fact that missiles were fired at them quite often after they were detected on radar. The aircraft flew so fast and so high that if the pilot detected a surface-to-air missile launch, the standard evasive action was simply to accelerate.

Twelve aircraft are known to have been lost, all through non-combat causes.