SR-72: Son of Blackbird

[Phoenix]

Boggle.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/05/tech/innovation/new-spy-plane/index.html?hpt=hp_t5


(CNN) -- For a big chunk of the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force turned to the SR-71 Blackbird for many of its most important spy missions. The jet-black jet could fly at more than three times the speed of sound at altitudes of 85,000 feet, faster and higher than anything adversaries had to counter it.

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.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Mach 6 is 4,132mph. Basically, it can cross the US in a little under an hour. That said, the quote "there is no reaction time to hide a mobile target" is hyperbole as that depends on when / where the plane is first sighted and what you are actually trying to hide.

On top of that, there are satellites that make this type of reconnaissance plane unnecessary. (you basically have to be on the edge of space to travel mach 6 anyhow) Clearly the intent of the SR-72 is a weapon delivery system, not a spy plane.

 

[iceberg]

i want one...

 

[YosemiteSam]

i want one...

I'll take two!

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Dang Whippersnappers....... You kids get off my grass!!!

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Mach 6 is 4,132mph. Basically, it can cross the US in a little under an hour. That said, the quote "there is no reaction time to hide a mobile target" is hyperbole as that depends on when / where the plane is first sighted and what you are actually trying to hide.

On top of that, there are satellites that make this type of reconnaissance plane unnecessary. (you basically have to be on the edge of space to travel mach 6 anyhow) Clearly the intent of the SR-72 is a weapon delivery system, not a spy plane.

No. I don't agree. It is very, very expensive to reposition satellites once trajectories and orbits are established. If you want actual on any part of the word, it can take hours to get it. It's much cheaper to build and maintain these planes then it is to reposition or change orbits to facilitate satellite position on a specific target. I see real applications for this, beyond a delivery system.

 

[Denim Chicken]

cool technology, but waste of money IMO.

 

[YosemiteSam]

No. I don't agree. It is very, very expensive to reposition satellites once trajectories and orbits are established. If you want actual on any part of the word, it can take hours to get it. It's much cheaper to build and maintain these planes then it is to reposition or change orbits to facilitate satellite position on a specific target. I see real applications for this, beyond a delivery system.

Let's not be argumentative here. Their isn't a *single* satellite up there. There are many and these satellites maintain their orbits all the time. Now, moving a satellite about is an expensive deal because satellites only have a limited amount of fuel. That said, to point and take a picture does not require "giving it the gas" as they use momentum wheels to control the roll, pitch and yaw. Except for the very old satellites, that shouldn't be much of an issue as these (spy) satellites do this all the time. (not to mention satellites like Hubble who point all over the place and take pictures)

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Let's not be argumentative here. Their isn't a *single* satellite up there. There are many and these satellites maintain their orbits all the time. Now, moving a satellite about is an expensive deal because satellites only have a limited amount of fuel. That said, to point and take a picture does not require "giving it the gas" as they use momentum wheels to control the roll, pitch and yaw. Except for the very old satellites, that shouldn't be much of an issue as these (spy) satellites do this all the time. (not to mention satellites like Hubble who point all over the place and take pictures)

Actually, there are fewer and fewer. Because of the defunding of many NASA/NOAA Satellite Projects, the Government is looking for ways to gather intel that is cheaper. This is probably one of those ways.

Moving or redirecting Satellites to gain real time data is very expensive. We are not launching as many Satellites as we have in the past and that's just a fact. This is probably an alternative.

 

[YosemiteSam]

lol. They definitely aren't cutting the spying budget.

 

[dropdeadfred5]

there are a lot of places on this planet where there are no spy satellites positioned.
and they are increasingly expensive.

That is why no one in the military questions the need for recon planes or drones.

 

[dropdeadfred5]

and this all might be a cover story to bring Aurora out into the open

 

[Mitcha68]

and this all might be a cover story to bring Aurora out into the open

Yeah, thats what I was thinking...haha

Son of Blackbird was in use a long time ago. I want to know what is being used now. ;-)

 

[JBond]

Now they can spy on us even faster. Great news!