An SR-72? Lockheed Martin’s New Mach-6 Spy Plane

Ten years after the U.S. Air Force retired the SR-71 spy plane, Lockheed Martin’s legendary Skunk Works appears back at work developing a new Mach-6 reconnaissance plane, sources said.
The Air Force has awarded Lockheed’s Advanced Development Projects arm a top-secret contract to develop a stealthy 4,000-mph plane capable of flying to altitudes of about 100,000 feet, with transcontinental range. The plan is to debut the craft around 2020.
The new jet — being referred to by some as the SR-72 — is likely to be unmanned and, while intended for reconnaissance, it could eventually trade its sensors for weapons.
The Air Force is working on several programs to improve its global intelligence-gathering. Satellites offer global coverage, but the ones with the highest resolution operate on largely predictable orbits, and many countries have mastered the art of hiding from them. Moreover, China’s successful anti-satellite missile test in January hinted that U.S. satellites might become vulnerable.
The new aircraft would offer a combination of speed, altitude and stealth that could make it virtually impervious to ground-based missiles, sources said. Even the SR-71 is said to have evaded hundreds of missiles fired at it during its long career, although some aircraft sustained minor damage. But experts say enormous challenges remain. First, the SR-71’s top speed was about 2,200 mph. Pushing a plane at twice the speed in the thin air of the upper stratosphere would require exceptionally powerful engines. Second, friction at high speeds could reduce stealth.
“An aircraft with these characteristics could prove a potent response to anti-satellite weapons,” said Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute. “If U.S. reconnaissance satellites were lost, an SR-72 could get to areas of interest quickly and provide persistent surveillance in place of the satellite.”
And don’t bother asking the Air Force or Skunk Works execs about their work. Neither is commenting and Skunk Works is skipping next week’s Paris Air Show.
“As a matter of policy, we don’t talk about classified programs — whether or not they exist,” said Lockheed’s Tom Jurkowsky.

Izvor!!!!!

Pre jedno deset godina jedan casopis iz Engleske je nudio 2500 funti nagrade za fotku tog aviona. To je bilo zato jer se proculo da je u toku jedne noci sleteo jedan kod njih. Ako se secas price sa mog foruma, gde je clan jedan oficir RAF-a, kada je kod njih sleteo SR-71 bilo je naredjeno da pucaju na svakog ko predje obelezenu crtu. Znaci nema pristupa. Analiticari tvrde da je avion YF-23 u stvari demonstrator za novi izvidjac. Razlog toj tvrdji lezi u cinjenici da su na njemu iskljucivo vrsena ispitivanja doleta a nista vezano za lovacka dejstva.

..................za deset godina sve če bit vodeno sa kompjuterima....

Ako je neko gledao film Terminator onda zna dokle sve to moze da dovede.

da ne otvaram novu temu stavit ču ovdje SR-71 se srušio.......

.....


kako su izgubili SR-71!!!!

Aha- a tvrdili kako nisu izgubili ni jedan  A inace taj D-21 je uveden za ispaljivanje tamo gde je jaka PVO... da se nisu mozda opekli pa ga brze bolje nisu uveli u opremu.

Odlicno drugar 

P.S. [sad ce se jave oni sto odlicno znaju da B-2 nije oboren...]

Pilot,vidim da pomno pratis ovaj deo foruma,i vidim da znas sve cinjenice...svaka cast,stvarno realno vodis debate...
paa,nisam znao da povlace iz sluzbe jedan od mojih omiljenih aviona...steta...kako je bio lep...inace,ja mrzim amere(naravno uz neke uslove,ne stici los utisak),ali sto se tice aviona,imaju lepu istoriju vojnog vazduhoplovstva...stvarno divan avion...i vrlo brz!kolko bese,3.2 maha?...jeste,tako nesto.inace,da znate,taj isti dizajn je bio i u filmu Xmen,samo sto tamo ima mod hover,sto u stvarnosti nije,ali svejedno,legenda i da kazem-gepard   od aviona!

Koje gorivo je taj avion koristio?

Gorivo- zvuci glupo ali mislim da je tecni ugljen dioksid... vrlo cudno bolje proveri ako imas gde. U stvari ima- evo mesta gde ioma da se nadju letacki uputi za njega:

http://www.sr-71.org/index.html

http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/index.htm

http://www.sr-71.org/aircraft/index.htm

http://www.sr-71.org/museums/index.htm

http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/index.htm

http://www.sr-71.org/groomlake/index.htm

http://www.sr-71.org/links/index.htm

hkj- hvala na lepim recima 

Pilot,necu da kvarim zabavu,i ovo se ne odnosi na Sr72,ali pretpostavljam da znas da su skoro svi americki lovci nastali od pokradenih ruskih aviona...stvarno sramota...

Nemas brige u pravu si hkj. Ako cemo iskreno taj avion treba da nosi naziv SR-75. Nisam bas siguran da se radi o kradju sovjetske tehnike. Recimo Sovjeti su na neuporedivo bolji, jeftiniji i upotrebljiviji nacin resili pitanje velikih brzina na MiG-25 nego sto je to uradjeno u USA. Pre nego je nastao MiG-29 postojao je Hornet, pre nego je nastao Su-27 postojao je F-15. Osim toga u SSSR nisu mnogo vodili racuna o autorskim pravima... Sam radar na MiG-29 je kopija onog sa Horneta a americki major je to preko ambasade CSSR prodao Sovjetima za 110 hiljada dolara. Da ne davim mnogo...

Dakle tema je SR-75. najverovatnije da je izgled nesto nalik na YF-23. Taj avion iako predstavljen kao lovac na ispitivanjima nije bio bas posmatran kao lovac vec su vise obratili paznju na stvari tipa dolet, visina leta, trajanje leta a to su upravo stavke vezane za izvidjace. Ima logike da je YF-23 umanjena radna verzija velikom pravog izvidjaca i da je sluzila kao tehnoloski demonstrator. Ali nemam nista od dokaza, zdravu logiku imate i vi pa ajde... pricamo 

YF-23 (Northrop) je bio u trci sa YF-22 (Lockheed Martin) za novog americkog lovca. Na kraju tendera izabran je YF-22 (F-22 Raptor), isto kao X-35 i X-32, gde je na kraju izabran X-35 (F-35 Lightning II).
YF-23 je imao naziv Black Widow II, ali nikada nisam cuo ili procitao da su od njega hteli da naprave izvidjacki avion.

Znam ja dobro sta novine kazu, ne brini. Uzgred receno radim i na knjizi o americkim lovcima pa dobro pretresam sve podatke. Nije sve tako kako novine kazu. Ali vec sam rekao- nemam nista crno na belo a nigde i nema.

ehehe...ovo je jedna malo cudna situacija...pilot,bojim se da si me mozda lose razumeo...
ja sam bio hteo da kazem da su ameri ukrali ideje od Rusa...,a ne obratno...
ali,izgleda da cemo morati po ovoj teoriji morati da imamo razlicita misljenja...sta da se radi...
jesi ti mislio u smislu da su rusi krali od amera,ili ne?mislim,nisam bas shvatio sve...  jel bi mogao da predefinises odgovor?jbga,nekeko se jos nisam naviko na forume...pa?  

Vidim da imas mali broj poruka a i ja ja ponekad ne razumem sta sam napisao pogotovu kad na brzinu odgovorim pa pobrkam slova.

1. razumeo sam da si rekao da su ameri krali od rusa
2. ja kazem da je bilo suprotno
3. sovjeti su imali razvijenu tehnologiju koja je u mnogim delovima bolja od zapadne
4. ovde nema teorije- ili imas podatak ili ga nemas!!!

u redu...  za sve ostalo,pa ajde-i za ovo,te podrzavam...
ja si odim malo,se cujemo,inace,bato,za nekolku dana...
ali ne se brinite,..."I'LL BE BAAACK!!!..."

Cekamo 

Something big is in the works at Nevada's legendary Area 51 military base. A massive new building is under construction at the top secret location. Aviation experts say there's a good chance that a new, highly classified aircraft might soon be zipping around the Nevada skies.

What kind of aircraft? One possibility is a successor to the SR-71 spy plane, the SR-72.

The SR-71 Blackbird is widely regarded as the greatest airplane ever built. It sliced through the sky at Mach 3 and still reigns, officially anyway, as the fastest plane in history. Groom Lake, also known as Area 51, was home for the Blackbird during its early days. The question is -- will Area 51 also be the location of choice for the development of a successor, and maybe more than one?

A photo of a new building under construction at Area 51 has raised tantalizing possibilities for the civilian researchers who dabble in such topics. No one can say for certain what the building will be used for, but aviation historian Peter Merlin says the one thing we can say is that it's one big hangar.

"It probably measures 275 feet by 600 feet. It's no larger than hangars at other bases, but it certainly is the largest at Area 51," Peter Merlin said.

Satellite photos confirm Area 51 already has two dozen hangars, including some less than two years old. So what's going on out there?

The hangar could be a central maintenance facility, machine shop and or simulator training center. But aviation writers are thinking more exotic thoughts. For months, there's been speculation in aviation circles about a successor to the SR-71, call it the SR-72. Model airplane companies already have their version of the so called "dark bird," which theoretically could fly twice as fast as the Blackbird.

Peter Merlin says he's been told by engineers at Lockheed that the SR-72 project was canceled, but new reports in aviation media note the Air Force has just awarded a new contract to Lockheed for a plane that sounds exactly like the SR-72, a Mach 6 reconnaissance plane that could also carry weapons, and unlike the SR-71, this one would be unmanned.

It would make for a comfy fit inside that new hangar. But Merlin thinks there are other possibilities also in the works at Groom Lake.

"There are at least seven and maybe as many as eleven manned classified air craft that have not yet been unveiled that have been flying since 1985 and countless unmanned programs as well. Most of these things have been tested there. I know some of the guys that have flown these airplanes," Merlin continued.

Among the suspects is something called the Black Manta, a stealthy hypersonic craft that might explain the wispy images captured in a few photos around the world. Various black triangle-type craft have been spotted over American military bases and cities for years, some of them huge in size, big enough to require a big hangar.

Aviation journalist Bill Sweetman has long argued for the existence of the Aurora, another plane rumored to have been flown at Groom Lake. Sweetman says black budget figures hint at the existence of the plane, which some have dubbed the SR-75 penetrator. Whichever of these ambitious projects ends up in full development, it's abundantly clear that the testing location of choice for top secret planes is still Area 51.

The Lockheed Company, whose so-called Skunkworks plant developed the U-2, SR-71, and stealth fighter -- all of which were test flown out at Area 51 -- says it will not comment on its new Air Force contract.

The Air Force is also not talking.