roles such as strategic reconnaissance and anti-shipping strike. Typically the aircraft will cruise subsonically for most of its flight to conserve fuel, before accelerating to supersonic speed for its bombing run. Few supersonic strategic bombers have entered service. The earliest type, the Convair B-58 Hustler, first flew in 1956 and the most recent, the Rockwell B-1B Lancer, in 1983. Although this and a few other types are still in service today, none remains in production. Types to have flown include: Convair B-58 Hustler (1956) Dassault Mirage IV (1959) Tupolev Tu-22 (1959) Myasishchev M-50 (1959) North American XB-70 Valkyrie (1964) Tupolev Tu-22M (1969) General Dynamics FB-111A (1969) Sukhoi T-4 (1972) Rockwell B-1A (1974) Tupolev Tu-160 (1981) Rockwell B-1B Lancer (1986) Supersonic strategic reconnaissance Some supersonic strategic bombers, such as the Sukhoi T-4 are also capable of the reconnaissance role (although the Sukhoi remained a prototype). The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was specifically designed for the role, and was a larger development of the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft which first flew in 1962. Supersonic fighter/attack jets Supersonic fighters and related aircraft are sometimes called fast jets. They make up the overwhelming majority of supersonic aircraft and some, such as the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Dassault Mirage III, have been produced in large numbers. Many military supersonic fighters and similar aircraft of fourth- and fifth- generations are under development in several countries, including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Iran and the United States. United States Douglas F4D Skyray (1951) North American F-100 Super Sabre (1953) Convair F-102 Delta Dagger (1953) Grumman F-11 Tiger (1954) McDonnell F-101 Voodoo (1954) Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (1954) Republic F-105 Thunderchief (1955) Vought F-8 Crusader (1955) Convair F-106 Delta Dart (1956) Douglas F5D Skylancer (1956) Grumman F11F-1F Super Tiger (1956) North American F-107 (1956) North American A-5 Vigilante (1958) McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (1958) Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III (1958) Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter (1959) Northrop T-38 Talon (1959) Lockheed YF-12 (1963) General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark (1964) General Dynamics–Grumman F-111B (1965) Grumman F-14 Tomcat (1970) McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle (1972) Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II (1972) Northrop YF-17 (1974) General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon (1974) McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (1978) Northrop F-20 Tigershark (1982) McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle (1986) Vought YA-7F (1989) Lockheed YF-22 (1990) Northrop YF-23 (1990) Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (1995) Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (1997) Lockheed Martin X-35 (2000) Boeing X-32 (2000) Lockheed Martin