JackRabbit 3rd Gear November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 http://defense-update.com/20131101_sr72.html November 1, 2013 at 20:27 SR-72, a Hypersonic Drone is Positioned to be the Successor of SR-71 ‘BlackBird’ The Skunk Works SR-72 design – a hypersonic unmanned aircraft developed to execute Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and strike missions at speeds up to Mach 6. Such an aircraft, coupled with hypersonic missiles, could penetrate denied airspace and strike at nearly any location across a continent in less than an hour. Photo: Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin broke silence today about the development of an unmanned hypersonic aircraft it is proposing for future reconnaissance and long-range strike missions. The company said it is ready to embark on the development of the SR-72hypersonic unmanned aircraft that could enter service with the U.S. Air Force in 2030. The proposed drone is positioned the follow-on to the Air Forces’ fastest known strategic reconnaissance aircraft – Mach 3 SR-71 ‘BlackBird’, developed by the legendary designer Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, the chief designer of the Lockheed skunk works in the early 1960s . Envisioned as an unmanned aircraft, the SR-72 would fly at speeds up to Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound. At this speed, the aircraft would be so fast, an adversary would have no time to react or hide. Turbine Based Combined Cycle Propulsion An SR-72 could be operational by 2030. For the past several years, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has been working with Aerojet Rocketdyne to develop a method to integrate an off-the-shelfturbine with a supersonic combustion ramjet air breathing jet engine to power the aircraft from standstill to Mach 6. The turbine based combined cycle propulsion means the turbine is combined with a ramjet to enable operation form static to hypersonic speeds of Mach 5+. At the turbine stage thrust is provided by the turbine engine from takeoff up to about Mach 3, where the ramjet kicks in, accelerating the aircraft up to hypersonic speeds. The turbine engine and ramjet are fed through a single inlet nozzle to significantly reduce drag. The result is the SR-72 that Aviation Week has dubbed “son of Blackbird,” and integrated engine and airframe that is optimized at the system level for high performance and affordability. “Conceived as a solution to the proliferation of mobile weapons platforms, which can be concealed from satellites, the jet would fly so fast that adversaries would not be able to react in time to hide a mobile target.” Aviation Week writer Guy Norris said. Lockheed Martin said it is ready to embark on the development of the new hypersonic drone. The SR-72’s design incorporates lessons learned from the HTV-2, which flew to a top speed of Mach 20, or 13,000 mph, with a surface temperature of 3500°F. According to Brad Leland, Lockheed Martin program manager, Hypersonics, a hypersonic aircraft will be a ‘game changer’. “Hypersonic aircraft, coupled with hypersonic missiles, could penetrate denied airspace and strike at nearly any location across a continent in less than an hour,” said Leland. “Speed is the next aviation advancement to counter emerging threats in the next several decades. The technology would be a game-changer in theater, similar to how stealth is changing the battlespace today.” SR-72 is not the first hypersonic Skunk Works aircraft. In partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, engineers developed the rocket-launched Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2). The HTV-2 research and development project was designed to collect data on three technical challenges of hypersonic flight: aerodynamics; aerothermal effects; and guidance, navigation and control. The Skunk Works SR-72 design – a hypersonic aircraft developed to execute Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and strike missions at speeds up to Mach 6. Photo: Lockheed Martin ----- I wonder if able to really produce the next-gen spy plane or another money draining project like the F35 JSF. ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albeniz Turbocharged November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 I remember playing the "trump" card game when I was a small kid in primary school. There were "tom-cat" and "blackbird". Any one belong to the same era? BTW, where to get such game cards nowadays? There are cards for cars too. The kids would get the cards and compete with each other for engine capacity, horse power etc and the winner would take the cards. Those were the days. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolicense Turbocharged November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 ya I got 1 for ships too.. got patrol boat... got carrier.. win speed and win displacement.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toothiewabbit Supersonic November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 Liddat? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albeniz Turbocharged November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 Liddat? FWAH, you are so power! You can even dig out such pictures. The ones I played were roughly the same as the one in the picture but mine was of an earlier version where the display and wordings were not so refined. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toothiewabbit Supersonic November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 FWAH, you are so power! You can even dig out such pictures. The ones I played were roughly the same as the one in the picture but mine was of an earlier version where the display and wordings were not so refined. Heehee....those were the days before internet and ipads....just happy to bring along a deck of those cards to school for challenge Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohto Hypersonic November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 Will play the card game at primary school after exam. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myxilplix Turbocharged November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 Nothing beats the SR-71, especially when you consider what it was capable of for a plane designed in the 60s without the aid of computers (or very little anyway). Sometimes I wonder what has happened to that visionary pioneering spirit that brought us planes like the SR-71 and programmes like the Space Shuttle. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathstalker 2nd Gear November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 Can get them@Science Centre, but only for cars, bikes and speedboats (?).Got only cars for nostalgic sake, as SC is retailing@nearly $8.00 per pack! Still remember I get it@only $1.20 when I was still in primary school.. I remember playing the "trump" card game when I was a small kid in primary school. There were "tom-cat" and "blackbird". Any one belong to the same era? BTW, where to get such game cards nowadays? There are cards for cars too. The kids would get the cards and compete with each other for engine capacity, horse power etc and the winner would take the cards. Those were the days. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vega Turbocharged November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 No wonder pilots keep reporting sporting UFO in US airspace. it must be the testing of this new black bird. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relagsingh 4th Gear November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 Nothing beats the SR-71, especially when you consider what it was capable of for a plane designed in the 60s without the aid of computers (or very little anyway). Sometimes I wonder what has happened to that visionary pioneering spirit that brought us planes like the SR-71 and programmes like the Space Shuttle. SR-71 forever... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firecracker Neutral Newbie November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 I remember playing the "trump" card game when I was a small kid in primary school. There were "tom-cat" and "blackbird". Any one belong to the same era? BTW, where to get such game cards nowadays? There are cards for cars too. The kids would get the cards and compete with each other for engine capacity, horse power etc and the winner would take the cards. Those were the days. Loved Top Trumps and the Blackbird was the speed king. Simple pleasures! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjkbeluga 5th Gear November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 I miss those days of playing trump cards.... really good general knowledge... For planes the card that always win is the Boeing 747 for its size and Sr71 for the speed. Second is the b52 bomber and ilyushin and then the tupolev... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackRabbit 3rd Gear November 6, 2013 Author Share November 6, 2013 the old SR-71... such a beautiful bird Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitanic 6th Gear November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 (edited) China shd develop a counter.... a chocolate bird.....with whiskers. Edited November 6, 2013 by Gitanic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albeniz Turbocharged November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 Folks, to re-live your childhood memory, you may wish to download an electronic App version of the game. Just key in "trump car cars" in Google App or the Apple App store. It is free, enjoy! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sosaria Twincharged November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 Nothing beats the SR-71, especially when you consider what it was capable of for a plane designed in the 60s without the aid of computers (or very little anyway). Sometimes I wonder what has happened to that visionary pioneering spirit that brought us planes like the SR-71 and programmes like the Space Shuttle. Not just the SR-71, but people went to the moon on the strength of such low-tech. Reportedly the computer onboard the "Eagle", the lunar module that made the landing on the surface of the moon, had less memory / processing power than today's calculator! I think nowadays the so-called pioneering spirit has been crushed by the weight of kiasu procedures, ISO compliance, risk assessments, workplace safety and health, etc. etc. etc. ... red tape, red tape and more red tape. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasted 1st Gear November 6, 2013 Share November 6, 2013 (edited) SR71 is a fuel guzzler... but still a very beautiful n sexy aircraft! Edited November 6, 2013 by Wasted ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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The Blackbird.
The Blackbird.