RF-12A2 Blackbird II
Aircraft role	Ultra-high altitude interceptor
Manufacturer	General Resources Limited
Real-world origin	N/A
AC installments	Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere
Primary operator	General Resources Defense Force (JP)
Secondary operators	Universal Peace Enforcement Organization (Export)
Plane variant(s)	SR-71 Blackbird
[Source]

Over the years of Blackbird service it became evident that the SR-71 was becoming vulnerable to fighters and air defenses from almost any military. In 1998, during the Usean Rebellion multiple SR-71s were intercepted while returning from a long ranged mission with two XB-70A Valkyries, the result was the loss of all three SR-71s and the two XB-70s.

In 2004, during the Usean Continental War between Erusea and the ISAF, an Erusean SR-71 was shot down over the Comona Islands, during Operation Countdown. A second one was lost during the battle of Whiskey Corridor in the final days of that war. Years later in 2010 in the opening days of the Circum-Pacific War, a Yuktobanian SR-71 was badly damaged by the Osean ADEZ Defense System and later combusted in mid air due to damage. In 2015, during the Emmeria-Estovakia War, an SR-71 flying battlefield reconnaissance over Ortara during the Anea Landing was heavily damaged, disintegrating seconds later.

General Resources Limited, a world wide company on the Usean Continent was constantly having it’s facilities watched by Neucom aircraft, which had began to violate the airspace restriction laws set by the UPEO. Neucom began flying at ultra-high altitudes over GR controlled cites, bases and areas with their R-531 Moburas and R-311 Remora escorts.

General Resource had a plan to modify the only aircraft they had capable of reaching those altitudes. They began retrofitting their SR-71's. The main upgrades installed in the Blackbird were a missile payload, advanced engine thrust, improved stealth paint, a COFFIN system, and an additional tail fin at the bottom of the craft for increased yaw, but the rest of the aircraft essentially remained the same as the original SR-71. This upgraded version soon became known as the RF-12A2 Blackbird Mk.II.

Early in 2045, an entire Neucom Transport group consisting of four R-531s and six R-311s was shot down by two RF-12A2's from General Resources White Valley Air Base. Another engagement took place over Expo City during a Neucom air strike which targeted General Resource civilian worker facilities.

ArmamentEdit

• M61A2 Lightweight Vulcan Cannon
• 14.5mm KPV Heavy Machine Gun
• AIM-9M Sidewinder
• AIM-9L Sidewinder
• MIRV

StatsEdit

• Power: 100
• Attack: 35
• Defense: 75
• Stability: 35
• Mobility: 10

SpecsEdit

• Width: 16.94 m
• Length: 31.65 m
• Height: 5.64 m
• Total mass: 78,020 kg
• Max speed: 4883 km/h

SourcesEdit

Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere