Retired SR-71 pilot Buz Carpenter will talk about his time in the USAF, SR-71 program and his most important mission. It’s March 1979, Saudi Arabia& Yemen are at war over a border dispute. Time was critical and there were not satellites able to cover the area. The SR-71 was tasked for a quick reaction mission flying from the UK; first ever mission approved by the UK Government into the Middle East. You will learn of SR-71 capabilities, culture, diplomatic countries clearances, tanker basing arrangements, operational timelines and what has to take place to complete a successful mission. This talk will give insight as to why the SR-71 was eventually retired, and it was not because of a military threat. Get additional insights into the Blackbird culture, capability generation, outreach capacities, flight limits, and tanker bases. Finally, learn about all the individual pieces that had to be engaged to facilitate this mission.