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USAF Confirms New Secret Stealth Plane
Gizmodo.com ^
| 12/04/09
| Jesus Diaz
Posted on 12/04/2009 3:46:26 PM PST by Reaganesque
The existence of a new secret plane photographed this week has been confirmed by the United States Air Force. The secret aircraft now has an official denomination: The RQ-170 Sentinel, a flying wing developed by Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works.
The RQ-170 is a stealthy unmanned aircraft designed to "provide reconnaissance and surveillance support to forward deployed combat forces." It's flown by the 30th Reconnaissance Squadron at Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, under the Air Combat Command's 432d Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.
The aircraft has a 65-foot wingspan, with a fat body and a blended wing design. It's unarmed, and—according to David A. Fulghum at Ares—its light color is unusual for high altitude UAV. [Ares]
TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: Nevada
KEYWORDS: aerospace; creechafb; lockheedmartin; plane; secret; skunkworks; stealth; uav; usaf
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I posted the earlier thread when this pic was first released and no one knew what it was. So, this is an update. Cool tech!
To: Reaganesque
What’s it carbon footprint?/s
2
posted on
12/04/2009 3:48:35 PM PST
by
Dallas59
(No To O -Time is going by really really really really slow.)
To: Reaganesque
I can’t see it... no, wait, um, yes, there it is! I can see it!!!!!
3
posted on
12/04/2009 3:49:07 PM PST
by
irishtenor
(Beer. God's way of making sure the Irish don't take over the world.)
To: Reaganesque
This is what it looks like:
4
posted on
12/04/2009 3:49:57 PM PST
by
Brilliant
To: Reaganesque
5
posted on
12/04/2009 3:50:07 PM PST
by
null and void
(We are now in day 317 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
To: Reaganesque
The Polecat was 2 engines this puppy is single.
6
posted on
12/04/2009 3:52:16 PM PST
by
omega4179
(0 is an embarrassment to us all.)
To: irishtenor
I can’t see it... no, wait, um, yes, there it is! I can see it!!!!! The only thing they'll see is that bomb or missile slamming into their face.
7
posted on
12/04/2009 3:52:38 PM PST
by
UAConservative
(Audemus Jura Nostra Defendere)
To: null and void
R or reconnaissance. I like it. It's gonna provide some nasty surprises once we get a CinC who's not afraid to use it.
To: null and void
9
posted on
12/04/2009 3:55:02 PM PST
by
Reaganesque
("And thou shalt do it with all humility, trusting in me, reviling not against revilers.")
To: null and void
Unarmed? Yes. Although it would be very useful for pinpointing a target for a cruise missile or even a very fast fighter-bomber.
10
posted on
12/04/2009 3:57:20 PM PST
by
justlurking
(The only remedy for a bad guy with a gun is a good WOMAN (Sgt. Kimberly Munley) with a gun)
To: null and void
I’m not understanding why this thing does not carry weapons in a launch bay. I understand the unarmed part if we’re flying over China or Russia, but it would be better if it could roast some more Taliban.
11
posted on
12/04/2009 3:58:26 PM PST
by
UAConservative
(Audemus Jura Nostra Defendere)
To: Brilliant
It’s like it’s not even there at all.
I can just make out the tail.....Look right here below.
See?
12
posted on
12/04/2009 3:59:39 PM PST
by
Tenacious 1
(Government For the People - an obviously concealed oxymoron)
To: Reaganesque
Makes you wonder how many times that aircraft has been photographed and reported as an alien craft of some sort.
13
posted on
12/04/2009 4:00:16 PM PST
by
exnavy
(Where's Rooster Cogburn when you need 'em?)
To: Reaganesque
This wing can’t be the fabled “Aurora”, is it?
14
posted on
12/04/2009 4:01:03 PM PST
by
montomike
(Politics should be about service and not a lucrative, money-making opportunity!)
To: Reaganesque
Looks a lot like the B-2. They still have neither confirmed nor denied the Aurora. I remember Popular Mechanics doing an article on that many years ago. The supposed replacement for the SR-71.
15
posted on
12/04/2009 4:01:54 PM PST
by
FlyVet
To: Reaganesque
High altitude light colored and unarmed?
One of these doesn’t fit.
Unless it’s ARMED and low altitude.
16
posted on
12/04/2009 4:01:58 PM PST
by
Darksheare
(Tar is cheap, and feathers are plentiful.)
To: montomike
The fabled Aurora is suppose to have the scram jet propulsion system, be long and sleek to cut through the atmosphere at mach 6.
This does not look like it would want to go quite that fast.
But what do I know.
17
posted on
12/04/2009 4:03:22 PM PST
by
Tenacious 1
(Government For the People - an obviously concealed oxymoron)
To: montomike
I think the Aurora was supposed to be a manned hypersonic aircraft. Way faster than the SR-71.
18
posted on
12/04/2009 4:03:46 PM PST
by
FlyVet
To: exnavy
Paging the Noory crew....
19
posted on
12/04/2009 4:04:26 PM PST
by
RadioCirca1970
(Victory or Death in the War on Terror)
To: All
This from Wikipedai (posted just an hour ago):
The 30th Reconnaissance Squadron, which is based at Tonopah Test Range Airport, operates RQ-170 Sentinels. This squadron was activated on September 1, 2005. RQ-170 Sentinels have been deployed to Afghanistan, where one was sighted at Kandahar International Airport in late 2007.[1]
So, the Air Force can keep a secret when it wants to.
20
posted on
12/04/2009 4:05:37 PM PST
by
Reaganesque
("And thou shalt do it with all humility, trusting in me, reviling not against revilers.")
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