SR-72

[BUTCH1]

I agree. However, the U-2 maintained high altitudes through efficiency on the ragged edge of its operating envelope. Relative to interceptors and SAMs, the U-2 was barely moving. It is still not known what brought down Gary Powers' U-2 but he did recall seeing another parachute on the way down.

On the other hand, the SR-71 employed the elegant, brute-force method. Short wings and gigantic afterburning turbojets employing ram recovery allowed for a much higher speed and altitude.

According to Wiki it was a Russian SAM S-75 that brought it down, it has a maximum range of 82K feet, enough to get to the U2.

 

[Imp]

The satellites and other methods were not anywhere near as good as getting intel as the SR-71. Re-positioning assets in orbit takes a long time and is very expensive. It is also known when most of these satellites are overhead. The SR-71, on the other hand, could get intel into the hands of the brass and elected officials in under 10 hours after the sortie is ordered. The SR-71 was inordinately expensive for an Airforce program but against the context of swarms of drones or satellites, it probably wasn't that expensive. Also, the amount of research that was conducted with the aircraft was invaluable.

Read the book "Skunk Works" By Ben Rich.

Ok... I was going to ask what was wrong with using satellites. A UAV/plane could hover over a relatively small area indefinitely, so makes sense.

 

[KMFJD]

It's not that I don't like new weapons technology, but who is this intended to be used against?

Those dangerous socialists in Denmark

 

[H54]

According to Wiki it was a Russian SAM S-75 that brought it down, it has a maximum range of 82K feet, enough to get to the U2.

Interesting, the last time I read up on the subject, it wasn't confirmed. I just sifted through some documents released under FOI and it confirms that his U-2 was brought down by the concussion of one of the 14 SA-2s (NATO codename for the V-75) fired at Powers. Very interesting stuff.


http://www.foia.cia.gov/collection/francis-gary-powers-u-2-spy-pilot-shot-down-soviets

 

[Scotteq]

It's not that I don't like new weapons technology, but who is this intended to be used against?

Anyone they feel like monitoring, of course :ninja:

 

[mikeford]

Once you have solid target intel, there is a time lapse on action too long to leave an aircraft "in the area". We have a wide variety of slow cheap unmanned things to take out targets once they are known.

Shooting down a spy plane is a different act than shooting down an aircraft armed with a bomb, the latter with more political repercussions for the aggressor.

 

[ballmode]

So cool!

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Make it multi purpose will cripple the primary missions.

Reconnaissance requires stealth or speed. Adding in ordance increases weight, reducing speed and sensor packages

Built to do both but each mission would do one or the other.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Are these types of planes even needed now with all the satellites we now have monitoring every square inch of the earth.

Satalites have known paths so you can be careful as another country and hide things when you know a satalite is overhead. The USA was/is constantly doing this at area 51. Planes remove that strategy.

 

[Eureka]

If nothing else, this will be cool just as a demonstrator of hypersonic flight. Air technology seemed to have stalled in the last few decades.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

If nothing else, this will be cool just as a demonstrator of hypersonic flight. Air technology seemed to have stalled in the last few decades.

I agree it will be cool. We've had hypersonic flight capabilites for a while now. scram jet sightings over white sands have been common for the past decade. I don't think the programs stalled so much as it was just not needed. Pilot survivability was/is also a question. With the rise of semi-autonomous systems the timing for a sr71 replacement is good. Human pilots need not apply.

 

[Eureka]

I agree it will be cool. We've had hypersonic flight capabilites for a while now. scram jet sightings over white sands have been common for the past decade. I don't think the programs stalled so much as it was just not needed. Pilot survivability was/is also a question. With the rise of semi-autonomous systems the timing for a sr71 replacement is good. Human pilots need not apply.

While I know x-planes have been hitting these speeds for a while now, wouldn't this be the first example of a production hypersonic aircraft?

I realize that hypercruise hasn't been needed (and may still not be needed anytime soon), but it's still great to see production aircraft, even if it is military. I remember growing up as a kid and being promised 3 hour flights to Asia from the US. It'll be great to see production aircraft finally getting there.

The X-15 hit hypersonic speeds in 1959. Crazy how fast they could fly 50 years ago.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Interesting, the last time I read up on the subject, it wasn't confirmed. I just sifted through some documents released under FOI and it confirms that his U-2 was brought down by the concussion of one of the 14 SA-2s (NATO codename for the V-75) fired at Powers. Very interesting stuff.

It still is not 'confirmed"!!

 

[icekid]

Announcement of SR-72 sounds fishy to me, I mean I remember SR-71 was a secret for a long time before it was publicly announced. That SR-71 was operational when it was secret, SR-72 is just on papers and they announced it. Something doesn't connect right.

Anyways I found Lockheed Martin SR-72 Specification & Technical Data

 

[BoomerD]

I'm curious...is this mega-billion dollar airplane going to find filthy unwashed goat herders hiding in caves?

With the death of the Soviet Union, the only country left for us to "worry about" is China...and as anti-China as I am, it's definitely not in the best interest, politically or financially, for the two of us to play war...especially "Global Thermonuclear War."

 

[JTsyo]

Lockheed is probably trying to drum up some support for this. From what I hear, spy planes were made obsolete by satellites. Why risk planes when you can just take pictures from space. Not sure what this design would bring to the table that would be worthwhile for reconnaissance.

 

[PottedMeat]

Lockheed is probably trying to drum up some support for this. From what I hear, spy planes were made obsolete by satellites. Why risk planes when you can just take pictures from space. Not sure what this design would bring to the table that would be worthwhile for reconnaissance.

Lockheed: We want to make a super cool new spyplane, need $$$ and long commitment.
Gov: Not at that price. We like satellites and drones.
Lockheed: Hey we make those too! And manage your IT!
Boeing: Us too!
Lockheed/Boeing: We can even send them into space for you!