The non-afterburning Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire powered P.1 prototype of the English Electric Lightning, exceeded Mach 1 on 11 August 1954. The Starfighter established world records for airspeed, altitude, and time-to-climb in 1958, becoming the first aircraft to hold all three simultaneously. It was the first production aircraft to achieve Mach 2, and the first aircraft to reach an altitude of 100,000 feet after taking off under its own power. The wing provided excellent supersonic and high-speed, low-altitude performance, but resulted in poor turning capability and high landing speeds. The first production aircraft intended to exceed Mach 1 in dry level flight was the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter which featured a radical design, with razor-thin, stubby wings attached substantially farther back on the fuselage than most contemporary aircraft. On 3 August 1954, a Gerfaut research aircraft powered by an SNECMA Atar 101D2A engine exceeded Mach 1 on level flight without using afterburners. Ĭoncorde routinely supercruised most of the way over the Atlantic, enabling it to travel from London to New York in three hours, a record which has yet to be surpassed by any other commercial aircraft. Due to its long service as a commercial airliner, Concorde holds the record for the most time spent in supercruise more than all other aircraft combined. One of the best-known examples of an aircraft capable of supercruise was Concorde. Optimally, qualifying for "true supercruise" would involve demonstrating the ability with a combat load at low to medium altitudes being able to break Mach 1 without afterburner does not in itself show supercruise ability. For an aircraft to be deemed capable of true supercruise, it must be able to carry a normal load for an extended distance without diving or using an afterburner. Many 4th generation fighter jets are technically capable of supercruise, but only at high altitudes and in a clean configuration. Aircraft such as the SR-71 Blackbird are designed to cruise at supersonic speed with afterburners enabled. Many supersonic military aircraft are not capable of supercruise and can only maintain Mach 1+ flight in short bursts, typically with afterburners. Supercruise is sustained supersonic flight of a supersonic aircraft with a useful cargo, passenger, or weapons load without using afterburner (also known as "reheat").
The English Electric Lightning was one of the first aircraft capable of supercruise.