Editing Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (section)

====1970s–1980s====
* 3 December 1975: First flight of SR-71A (AF Ser. No. 61-7959) in "big tail" configuration
* 20 April 1976: TDY operations started at [[RAF Mildenhall]], United Kingdom with SR-71A, AF Ser. No. 61-7972
* 27–28 July 1976: SR-71A sets speed and altitude records (altitude in horizontal flight: {{convert|85068.997|ft|m|abbr=on}} and speed over a straight course: {{convert|2193.167|mph|km/h}})
* August 1980: [[Honeywell]] starts conversion of AFICS to DAFICS
* 15 January 1982: SR-71B, AF Ser. No. 61-7956, flies its 1,000th sortie
* 29 June 1987: 61-7964 flying a reconnaissance mission over the Baltic Express when its experienced an engine failure, causing it to drop into Swedish airspace. Swedish [[Saab 37 Viggen|Viggens]] were sent to intercept an SR-71 for violating Swedish airspace. They assessed the emergency situation and rendered support to the aircraft by defending it from potential Soviet threats. The Swedish interceptors escorted the Blackbird until it reached Danish airspace where it was safely recovered. The incident was declassified in 2018 and the four Swedish air force pilots received U.S. Air Medals over 31 years after the incident.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fratini |first=Korey |date=Nov 29, 2018 |title=Swedish pilots presented with US Air Medal |url=https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1700869/swedish-pilots-presented-with-us-air-medal/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Air%20Medal,have%20tried%20to%20threaten%20it. }}</ref>
* 21 April 1989: SR-71, AF Ser. No. 61-7974, is lost due to an engine explosion after taking off from Kadena AB, the last Blackbird to be lost.<ref name="Landis_p98-101"/><ref name="Pace_p126-7"/>
* 22 November 1989: USAF SR-71 program officially terminated