An SR-71B
Blackbird flies over snow-capped mountains in 1995.
An SR-71B
Blackbird flies over snow-capped mountains in 1995.
An A-12
reconnaissance aircraft, the predecessor to the SR-71, is seen on display at the
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City in August 2010.
An A-12
reconnaissance aircraft, the predecessor to the SR-71, is seen on display at the
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City in August 2010.
The EP-3E
Aries II aircraft is a reconnaissance aircraft that uses electronic surveillance
equipment for its primary mission. One of them was in the news in April 2001
when it collided with a Chinese jet.
The EP-3E
Aries II aircraft is a reconnaissance aircraft that uses electronic surveillance
equipment for its primary mission. One of them was in the news in April 2001
when it collided with a Chinese jet.
The F-117
Nighthawk is one of the most famous and successful stealth aircraft. It was the
first plane to be completely designed around the aspect of stealth, and its
development was kept a secret in the early 1980s.
The F-117
Nighthawk is one of the most famous and successful stealth aircraft. It was the
first plane to be completely designed around the aspect of stealth, and its
development was kept a secret in the early 1980s.
Lockheed's "Have Blue" prototype was the predecessor of the
famed Nighthawk.
Lockheed's "Have Blue" prototype was the predecessor of the
famed Nighthawk.
The
Northrop YB-49 was not considered stealth aircraft, but its "strategic bomber"
design set the foundation for the B-2 Spirit, a future stealth bomber.
The
Northrop YB-49 was not considered stealth aircraft, but its "strategic bomber"
design set the foundation for the B-2 Spirit, a future stealth bomber.
A B-2
Spirit soars over the Pacific Ocean in May 2006.
A B-2
Spirit soars over the Pacific Ocean in May 2006.
The
Lockheed YF-12 flies a test mission near Edwards Air Force Base in
California.
The
Lockheed YF-12 flies a test mission near Edwards Air Force Base in
California.
The
YF-22A fighter, first produced in 1990, used stealth technology and became the
first fighter-type aircraft to achieve sustained supersonic flight without
employing afterburner.
The
YF-22A fighter, first produced in 1990, used stealth technology and became the
first fighter-type aircraft to achieve sustained supersonic flight without
employing afterburner.
The F-22
Raptor interceptor, which uses stealth technology, completed its first
successful flight in 1997.
The F-22
Raptor interceptor, which uses stealth technology, completed its first
successful flight in 1997.
The MQ-1
Predator is an unmanned aircraft, or drone, that has conducted reconnaissance
and surveillance missions.
The MQ-1
Predator is an unmanned aircraft, or drone, that has conducted reconnaissance
and surveillance missions.
In the
1950s, aircraft like these RB-47s conducted surveillance missions over the
Soviet Union and other "denied areas," but they became increasingly vulnerable
to enemy defenses.
In the
1950s, aircraft like these RB-47s conducted surveillance missions over the
Soviet Union and other "denied areas," but they became increasingly vulnerable
to enemy defenses.
The
Convair RB-36D was the jet-augumented version of the U.S. Air Force's
intercontinental strategic bomber. The bomb bay was fitted with 14 cameras, and
the No. 2 bay was used to carry 100-pound photo flash bombs for nighttime aerial
photography.
The
Convair RB-36D was the jet-augumented version of the U.S. Air Force's
intercontinental strategic bomber. The bomb bay was fitted with 14 cameras, and
the No. 2 bay was used to carry 100-pound photo flash bombs for nighttime aerial
photography.
The last of the Blackbirds flew
in 1999, and the U.S. military hasn't had anything close since.
Now, Lockheed-Martin, the maker
of the SR-71, says the "Son of the Blackbird," the SR-72, is in the works, and
it will be twice as fast as and way more lethal than its father. That's because
the SR-72 will be designed to launch missiles, something the SR-71 didn't
do.
"Even with the SR-71, at Mach 3,
there was still time to notify that the plane was coming, but at Mach 6, there
is no reaction time to hide a mobile target," Brad Leland, Lockheed Martin's
program manager for hypersonics, told Aviation Week and Space Technology. The
publication provided the first detailed look at the SR-72 plans last week.
The USS Zumwalt, the U.S. Navy's newest warship, floats out
of dry dock Monday, October 28, in Bath, Maine. The first of the new DDG-1000
class of destroyers, it will be the Navy's largest stealthy ship when it begins
missions.
The DDG-1000 is longer and faster than its predecessors,
and it will carry state-of-the-art weapons that can destroy targets more than 60
miles away, according to the Navy.
The DDG-1000 is longer and faster than its predecessors,
and it will carry state-of-the-art weapons that can destroy targets more than 60
miles away, according to the Navy.
The Zumwalt is 610 feet long and 81 feet wide. It weighs
about half as much as the USS Arizona, which sunk at Pearl Harbor in
1941.
The Zumwalt is 610 feet long and 81 feet wide. It weighs
about half as much as the USS Arizona, which sunk at Pearl Harbor in
1941.
The ship is named in honor of Adm. Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt
Jr., who was chief of naval operations from 1970-1974.
The ship is named in honor of Adm. Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt
Jr., who was chief of naval operations from 1970-1974.
Capt. James A. Kirk, the executive assistant to the
director of surface warfare, will be the commanding officer of the USS Zumwalt.
Capt. James A. Kirk, the executive assistant to the
director of surface warfare, will be the commanding officer of the USS Zumwalt.
Much of the ship's superstructure is wrapped in a canopy
made of lightweight carbon-fiber composite. The ship is also built on angles so
that it is 50 times harder to spot on radar than an ordinary destroyer.
Much of the ship's superstructure is wrapped in a canopy
made of lightweight carbon-fiber composite. The ship is also built on angles so
that it is 50 times harder to spot on radar than an ordinary destroyer.
Coming out of dry dock does not mean the ship is ready to
put to sea. The shipbuilder will now begin installing weapons. The Zumwalt will
be equipped with a new missile-launching system capable of firing 80 missiles,
including Tomahawk cruise missiles and Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles.
Coming out of dry dock does not mean the ship is ready to
put to sea. The shipbuilder will now begin installing weapons. The Zumwalt will
be equipped with a new missile-launching system capable of firing 80 missiles,
including Tomahawk cruise missiles and Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles.
The Navy had planned to spend up to $20 billion to design
and deliver seven DDG-1000 destroyers. But cost overruns cut production to three
ships.
The Navy had planned to spend up to $20 billion to design
and deliver seven DDG-1000 destroyers. But cost overruns cut production to three
ships.
U.S. Navy's new stealth destroyer
HIDE CAPTION
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Photos: U.S. Navy's
new stealth destroyer
"
Hypersonic aircraft, coupled
with hypersonic missiles, could penetrate denied airspace and strike at nearly
any location across a continent in less than an hour," Leland said in a news
release.
And, by the way, the SR-72 is
envisioned as a drone, unlike the original Blackbird with its crew of two: a
pilot and a reconnaissance officer to operate its radar jammers and spy
gear.
"The SR-71 was developed using
20th-century technology. It was envisioned with slide rules and paper. It wasn't
managed by millions of lines of software code. And it wasn't powered by computer
chips. All that changes with the SR-72," Lockheed Martin says.
A smaller-scale model of the
SR-72 could begin testing in five years and be in the air in 10, Leland told
Aviation Week.
The full-scale SR-72 could be
operational by 2030, according to Lockheed Martin.
If it comes to fruition, one
thing the SR-72 won't be is stealthy. The design needed for the Mach 6 speed
doesn't allow for such construction, according to the Aviation Week report.
"Speed is the new stealth,"
Aviation Week quoted Al Romig, engineering and advanced systems vice president
at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division, as saying.
"Speed is the next aviation
advancement to counter emerging threats in the next several decades. The
technology would be a game-changer in theater, similar to how stealth is
changing the battle space today," Leland said in the statement.
Of course, none of this will fly
without money, and that will probably be up to taxpayers.
"We have been continuing to
invest company funds, and we are kind of at a point where the next steps would
require large-scale testing, which would significantly increase the level of
investment we've had to make to-date," Leland told Aviation Week. "Between DARPA
(Defense Advanced Products Research Agency) and the Air Force, it would be
highly likely they'd have to fund the next steps."
Culled from cnn.com
No comments:
Post a Comment