Northrop Grumman "RQ-180"

[NMaude]

I wonder when the USAF will finally release photographs of the "RQ-180" and its' actual tri-services designation?

 

[bob225]

The only reason you can see the RQ-4B in the video is because the hangar lights are on. According to Aviation Week & Space Technology, the RQ-180 operations at Edwards take place under strict blackout conditions (no lights in the hangar or on the surrounding ramp) just like the F-117A operations at TTR in the 1980s by the 4450th Tactical Group. Aviation historian Chris Pocock believes the Global Hawks are acting as pathfinders for future RQ-180 ops at Fairford. Similarly, the 4450th used the A-7D as a pathfinder to practice Nighthawk deployments domestically and overseas before the existence of the F-117A was declassified.

I'm not disagreeing.

However spotters are a tenacious bunch, fine arrive in the dark with the lights off, but they'll just buy night vision goggles and film it that way.

I think if the 180's real it will have to be publicly confirmed and a photo released before being based out of Fairford, otherwise the first shot of it will be on youtube and twitter etc.

Lakenheath was packed out a few weeks ago when the F-22's transited through, even when things are supposed to be kept quiet someone always lets slip.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I'm not disagreeing.

However spotters are a tenacious bunch, fine arrive in the dark with the lights off, but they'll just buy night vision goggles and film it that way.

I think if the 180's real it will have to be publicly confirmed and a photo released before being based out of Fairford, otherwise the first shot of it will be on youtube and twitter etc.

Lakenheath was packed out a few weeks ago when the F-22's transited through, even when things are supposed to be kept quiet someone always lets slip.

Crud, they'll probably just open up their DSLRs and pry the near-IR filter off the chip if they haven't already. Modern CCDs are sensitive to a much wider range of freqs than the human eye is, it's why you can have a photo taken under mixed UV and white light come up way over-exposed.