Originally posted by Venom
at least, take the interceptor varient, the YF12 
http://www.wvi.com/~lelandh/yf12~1.htm
owned, razor
Wow! You people wrote a lot since I last checked it - which is quite often btw -, but anyway let me give some detail about the baby above:
-Fastest airplane in the world *if you don't count the Mig-34 which was a faux*
-Most expensive in both terms of production, but especially in maintinance and simple operation:
-Two high grade jet engines have to used just to start its engines!
-Almost all the fuel it has gets leaked and used up during the simple take-off, becuse the plane couldn't be designed so that the pipework would fit both during low-speed and Mach-3
-The hull has waves in it, which expand when the craft heats up near M2-M3. It is only then when most parts fit as they were supposed to
-Hence the things above it needs to be refueled almost after take-off - close to stall speed!!!
There never was one craft that was built for combat - even the interceptor was a prototype - and got damaged during a landing.
The awsome speed makes it very hard to deliver a second round of missiles - could only carry 3 by the time, although - with nuclear warheads.
So it is a bit expensive-and frustrating-to fly.
I recommend a Rafale or a Typhoon - when it is finally put to production - or some new Russian wonder if you go for close-combat.
