The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 was a cancelled supersonic strike and reconnaissance aircraft designed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). It was under development throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s for the Royal Air Force (RAF); the TSR-2 designation came from "Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance, Mach 2".
The TSR-2 arose from the issuing of General Operational Requirement 339 (GOR.339) in November 1956, which sought a successor to the English Electric Canberra that would perform both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons delivery, be able to penetrate well-defended frontline areas at low altitudes and very high speeds, and attack high-value targets in rear areas. Another intended combat role was to provide high-altitude, high-speed stand-off, side-looking radar and photographic imagery and signals intelligence, aerial reconnaissance. On 1 January 1959, the project received its official go-ahead; early work was undertaken by Vickers-Armstrong in cooperation with English Electric, before Britain's aircraft industry underwent consolidation to create BAC. However, as some contributing manufacturers were employed directly by the Ministry rather than through BAC, this led to communication difficulties and cost overruns. On 27 September 1964, test pilot Roland Beamont performed the type's maiden flight.
