Northrop Grumman "RQ-180"

[Flyaway]

I wonder if that recent NG advert that many have assumped was representing their bomber entry might in fact have been a drone under the sheet. After all a drone still has a pilot even though they are remote from it.

Would they be that cheeky to put the RQ-180 in it?

 

[flateric]

Thing under wraps doesn't fit long endurance ISR solution by any means.

 

[Mr London 24/7]

Gen. Otto due to speak again Feb 18th (of course not clear on what, however this seemed good place to post):

http://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/AFA/6379b747-7730-4f82-9b45-a1c80d6c8fdb/UploadedImages/Press%20Releases/2015/February/February%20Breakfast%20Series%20with%20Otto.pdf

And the presentation (no mention of RQ-180, does however joke about wanting to keep RQ-170 'behind the curtain' in the last minute!)

 

[Flyaway]

Makes that Airforce magazine article even more mysterious as to exactly where the quotes in it originated from.

 

[flateric]

...

 

[Mr London 24/7]

(http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1885.msg132743.html#msg132743)

 

[flateric]

Ah!

 

[quellish]

Who flies it?

Where is it based?

Where has it been deployed?

 

[Flyaway]

Not a source maybe some think much of on here, but they might have dug up something here?

There Is a Secret U.S. Spy Plane Flying Over the Pacific

The Pentagon is unflinchingly tight-lipped about any new, high tech planes it has in the works. But every so often, a bit of information manages to squeak out into the public domain. In 2013, the U.S. Air Force sent a secret spy plane out over the Pacific region. The unknown...

warisboring.com

 

[quellish]

Not a source maybe some think much of on here, but they might have dug up something here?

There Is a Secret U.S. Spy Plane Flying Over the Pacific

The Pentagon is unflinchingly tight-lipped about any new, high tech planes it has in the works. But every so often, a bit of information manages to squeak out into the public domain. In 2013, the U.S. Air Force sent a secret spy plane out over the Pacific region. The unknown...

warisboring.com

AFSP.

 

[Steve Pace]

?

 

[Sentinel36k]

Edit: redacted

Sentinel

 

[Flyaway]

If it was the RQ-170 would they really need to redact it as an acknowledged airframe?

 

[quellish]

If it was the RQ-170 would they really need to redact it as an acknowledged airframe?

They do not always talk in terms of airplanes, often it is capabilities. And yes, they have redacted "acknowledged" things in the past.

 

[lowchi]

Not a source maybe some think much of on here, but they might have dug up something here?


http://warisboring.com/articles/there-is-a-secret-u-s-spy-plane-flying-over-the-pacific/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WarIsBoring+%28War+Is+Boring%29

AFSP.

Air Force Special Platform?

 

[Mat Parry]

Not a source maybe some think much of on here, but they might have dug up something here?

There Is a Secret U.S. Spy Plane Flying Over the Pacific

The Pentagon is unflinchingly tight-lipped about any new, high tech planes it has in the works. But every so often, a bit of information manages to squeak out into the public domain. In 2013, the U.S. Air Force sent a secret spy plane out over the Pacific region. The unknown...

warisboring.com

AFSP.

Air Force Special Platform?

I think so (reply #22)
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,19149.0.html

 

[lowchi]

Who flies it?

Where is it based?

Where has it been deployed?

May i ask what your guesses are?

 

[xstatic3000]

It's been known for many years that AFSP is the U2.

 

[quellish]

May i ask what your guesses are?

Nobody, nowhere, nowhere.

 

[Ian33]

Who flies it?

Where is it based?

Where has it been deployed?

USAF and British RAF mixed aircrews that have B2 experience.

Korea, Cyprus (Akrotiri) (Reason why there was such a flap when Russia parked its ships off the coast, and why journalists covering the migrant crisis were forbidden from being on bases and roaming before sun rise) and US U2 bases State side.

Korea, Syria, Iran

 

[lowchi]

May i ask what your guesses are?

Nobody, nowhere, nowhere.

I assume you dont think its operational yet?

 

[lowchi]

It's been known for many years that AFSP is the U2.

Why would they redact a platform that is more than a half century old?

 

[quellish]

I assume you dont think its operational yet?

I have found nothing to indicate it exists at all.

 

[quellish]

Why would they redact a platform that is more than a half century old?

The aircraft is, the capability is not.
Some configurations are sensitive and subject to different disclosure rules. This has happened before.

 

[marauder2048]

I assume you dont think its operational yet?

I have found nothing to indicate it exists at all.

The fact that LM made their unsolicited RQ-X (now TR-X) offer lends credence to this view.

 

[lowchi]

I assume you dont think its operational yet?

I have found nothing to indicate it exists at all.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,20900.msg223807.html#msg223807

But they admit it exists (sort of). Please correct me if i overlooked something

 

[lowchi]

Who flies it?

Where is it based?

Where has it been deployed?

Cyprus (Akrotiri) (Reason why there was such a flap when Russia parked its ships off the coast, and why journalists covering the migrant crisis were forbidden from being on bases and roaming before sun rise)

Hey Ian33, do you have a source for that?

 

[lowchi]

Why would they redact a platform that is more than a half century old?

The aircraft is, the capability is not.
Some configurations are sensitive and subject to different disclosure rules. This has happened before.

hmmm... makes sense.

 

[Flyaway]

Why would they redact a platform that is more than a half century old?

The aircraft is, the capability is not.
Some configurations are sensitive and subject to different disclosure rules. This has happened before.

But the U-2 is already listed seperately in that list, why would you list it a second time under a different title just because of the capability?

 

[xstatic3000]

I assume you dont think its operational yet?

I have found nothing to indicate it exists at all.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,20900.msg223807.html#msg223807

But they admit it exists (sort of). Please correct me if i overlooked something

Gen. Otto stated that the USAF was "working on it", not that some sort of operational platform actually exists and has been deployed. It could be in the requirements phase to some degree based on his statements. There has been nothing to indicate that this is some sort of operational system that has been built and deployed. I'm not saying that it dosen't exist, but any assertion that it is out there right now is purely speculative.

 

[xstatic3000]

Who flies it?

Where is it based?

Where has it been deployed?

Cyprus (Akrotiri) (Reason why there was such a flap when Russia parked its ships off the coast, and why journalists covering the migrant crisis were forbidden from being on bases and roaming before sun rise)

Hey Ian33, do you have a source for that?

Pure conjecture.

 

[Flyaway]

I assume you dont think its operational yet?

I have found nothing to indicate it exists at all.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,20900.msg223807.html#msg223807

But they admit it exists (sort of). Please correct me if i overlooked something

I think it more likely exists than not but that is admittedly going off one mention in one article by one senior Air Force official, so make of that you will.

Mind you I am sure I read an article recently implying it may have been axed on cost grounds?

 

[xstatic3000]

Who flies it?

Where is it based?

Where has it been deployed?

USAF and British RAF mixed aircrews that have B2 experience.

Korea, Cyprus (Akrotiri) (Reason why there was such a flap when Russia parked its ships off the coast, and why journalists covering the migrant crisis were forbidden from being on bases and roaming before sun rise) and US U2 bases State side.

Korea, Syria, Iran

Aircrews with B2 experience would be tasked with flying an unmanned, high-altitude reconnaissance platform? Am I missing something here?

 

[xstatic3000]

Why would they redact a platform that is more than a half century old?

The aircraft is, the capability is not.
Some configurations are sensitive and subject to different disclosure rules. This has happened before.

But the U-2 is already listed seperately in that list, why would you list it a second time under a different title just because of the capability?

Again - it's the capability and the configuration. A U-2 airframe carrying certain sensors or optics becomes the AFSP.

 

[Gridlock]

Aircrews with B2 experience would be tasked with flying an unmanned, high-altitude reconnaissance platform? Am I missing something here?

RAF aircrews with experience flying very expensive, highly secret-sauce USAF airframes could be more apt. I want to know more about these restricted journalists on Cyprus - sources?

 

[Dynoman]

The folks at Dreamland Resort had these pictures posted for a while, but they reminded me of the RQ-180 configuration so I thought I would show them here to see what thoughts anyone had on them. The person who took the picture said that the aircraft was sized with a wingspan of B747, was quiet with a low pitch rumble that was uncharacteristic of an aircraft.
If these are real RQ-180, then the aircraft, at least in prototype form, has already been flying.
PS: Not a Polecat due to the cranked arrow leading edge.

 

[flateric]

The folks at Dreamland Resort had these pictures posted for a while

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?65072-Possible-new-aircraft-sighted-at-Groom-Lake&p=1044959#post1044959

Yeah, the guy who originated the "photos" finally admitted that he created the aircraft in X-Plane, and used Photoshop to add some noise to the image.

 

[Dynoman]

Thanks Flateric...I thought it might be too good to be true :

 

[dark sidius]

Don't you think it look like the Northrop tease video of the Hangar the plane Under wraps ?

 

[Flyaway]

More relevant are the rumours something new has moved into the Edwards South Base, maybe this?