New Secret Lockheed Spy Plane?

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Ninja

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Some of you may remember that in early November of 2023, multiple aviation news outlets reported that the Skunk Works had delivered a secret aircraft to the Air Force, that had also survived the threat of cancellation.

www.popularmechanics.com

Did Skunk Works Deliver Its New, Top Secret Spy Plane to the Air Force?

A defense industry insider spills some deets in a recent podcast.
www.popularmechanics.com www.popularmechanics.com

theaviationist.com

Skunk Works Working On A Classified Reconnaissance Aircraft - Reports

The classified aircraft, built by the Skunk Works, would be more capable than the RQ-180. With the U-2S Dragon Lady soon to be retired, there is a big
theaviationist.com theaviationist.com


Now there has been more reports of Lockheed delivering classified airframes to the AF, the program seems to have survived cancellation.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1720233286293651750
View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1720233286293651750?continueFlag=99b3dc0eac9d3dabe4a5325104aeabe6


https://twitter.com/x/status/1904134002807554550
View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1904134002807554550



Please try to leave crazy specualtion out of the discussion until more info comes out.
 
'First articles' could be anything from a very basic demonstrator to production standard. Could even be components depending on the precise context.
 
I only see a lot of speculation and not a single shred of evidence. We don’t know whether ‘something’ was delivered.

Also, I get a bit tired of the Darkstar story. I’m sure that if Lockheed had build a movieprop that looks like a real classified airframe that the government would go crazy.

Also, looking at satellite imagery and looking at parked cars, it seems Groom Lake is rather quiet these days, with the bulk of operations happening on the northern end where the Red Hats and presumably the NGAD are based. However, it there’s a hypersonic program going on, It wouldn’t surprise me if it was tested over sea because of the massive amount of space it needs.
 
Q-nimbus said:
I only see a lot of speculation and not a single shred of evidence. We don’t know whether ‘something’ was delivered.
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Yep. Exactly why its in the fake projects section. Nothing much yet.

Q-nimbus said:
Also, I get a bit tired of the Darkstar story. I’m sure that if Lockheed had build a movieprop that looks like a real classified airframe that the government would go crazy.
Click to expand...
Where do you see anything about the Darkstar here? May you point me to it?

Q-nimbus said:
However, it there’s a hypersonic program going on, It wouldn’t surprise me if it was tested over sea because of the massive amount of space it needs.
Click to expand...
There is no mention of anything hypersonic here, from what I can tell, if a secret platform is being delivered to the Air Force, it doesn't seem to be anything SR-72 related.
 
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Ninja said:
Where do you see anything about the Darkstar here? May you point me to it?


There is no mention of anything hypersonic here, from what I can tell, if a secret platform is being delivered to the Air Force, it doesn't seem to be anything SR-72 related.
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No, not you, it’s in the various articles you shared. Don’t worry, I usually agree with you .
 
Ninja said:
Yep. Exactly why its in the fake projects section. Nothing much yet.


Where do you see anything about the Darkstar here? May you point me to it?


There is no mention of anything hypersonic here, from what I can tell, if a secret platform is being delivered to the Air Force, it doesn't seem to be anything SR-72 related.
Click to expand...
I more convinced now than you are right I think we never see hypersonic plane flying a day. For Groom I think this is quiet because B-21 is in the production phase and the NGAD competition is over , for FA/XX I m sure it live more at China Lake than Groom.
 
dark sidius said:
I more convinced now than you are right I think we never see hypersonic plane flying a day. For Groom I think this is quiet because B-21 is in the production phase and the NGAD competition is over , for FA/XX I m sure it live more at China Lake than Groom.
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Does that mean Groom Lake's raison d'etre be gone lol now.,,

Then again with likes of Boom , only hypersonic will exist in the white commercial world...

But am well intrigued like the others on here ...if anything should surface...

cheers
 
dark sidius said:
I more convinced now than you are right I think we never see hypersonic plane flying a day. For Groom I think this is quiet because B-21 is in the production phase and the NGAD competition is over , for FA/XX I m sure it live more at China Lake than Groom.
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Dark Sidius -

As regards possibly seeing a plane flying hypersonic in broad daylight.

I saw the fastest “ mover “ I ever witnessed in the daytime, flying North to South, just off the South edge of Tulsa, OK.

Flying @ airliner contrail altitude, it appeared to go 6 times faster than a typical airliner.
Traversing the terrain at a rate reminiscent of how fast the ISS and Space Shuttles passed overhead; while being viewed from the the ground.

The aircraft made no sonic booms, and was located first by my looking for the sound of its loud exhaust. It did not form “ doughnuts on a rope “; but some repeat lumping of its contrail could be seen some miles behind the speeding aircraft.


With regards,
357Mag
 
I’m sure there is a future for Groom. But like I’ve said before, I think Groom primarily is a place where mostly systems are developed and tested, and occasionally, but rarely (maybe once or twice per decade), a classified airframe gets tested.
 

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