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RQ-180
The Northrop Grumman RQ-180 is an American Stealth aircraft, stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveillance aircraft intended for contested airspace. , there had been no images or statements released, but evidence points to the existence of the RQ-180 and its use in regular front-line service. Development After the retirement of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, SR-71 Blackbird in 1999, the US Air Force lacked an intelligence platform capable of penetrating airspace guarded by advanced air defense systems. The RQ-180 was designed to fulfill the mission previously accomplished by the high-speed SR-71. The RQ-180 appears to be a follow-on to the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems project which was cancelled in late 2005 when the United States Navy (USN) wanted a carrier-based aircraft (which led to the UCAS-D) while the United States Air Force (USAF) wanted a larger, long-range global strike platform. In December 2005, the program was split in two, with the USN starting the UCAS ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lockheed Martin SR-72
The Lockheed Martin SR-72, commonly referred to as "Son of Blackbird," is an American hypersonic concept intended for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). Proposed privately in 2013 by Lockheed Martin as a successor to the retired Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the SR-72 was projected by Lockheed Martin executives in 2018 to have a test vehicle fly by 2025 and potentially enter service in the 2030s. Background The SR-71 Blackbird was retired by the United States Air Force in 1998, eliminating a unique and valuable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability. Although most fifth-generation jet fighters and planned drones intended for enemy airspace rely on anti-radar stealth technologies, Professor Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow in airpower and technology at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), argues that the rise of anti-access/area denial tactics and counter-stealth technologies renders speed more promising than stealth for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |