This is the amazing Lockheed Martin SR-72—the space Blackbird

The Aviation Week website is down for maintenance.
However I found this over on gizmodo.
As well as some other pics on the net that seem related to what was released on aviation week.

However. How freakin cool is this!
We get a SR-72 Mach 6 edge of space plane with optional strike capability?
Very badass.

sploid.gizmodo.com...

[It's] an affordable hypersonic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike platform that could enter development in demonstrator form as soon as 2018. Dubbed the SR-72, the twin-engine aircraft is designed for a Mach 6 cruise, around twice the speed of its forebear, and will have the optional capability to strike targets.

Guided by the U.S. Air Force's long-term hypersonic road map, the SR-72 is designed to fill what are perceived by defense planners as growing gaps in coverage of fast-reaction intelligence by the plethora of satellites, subsonic manned and unmanned platforms meant to replace the SR-71. Potentially dangerous and increasingly mobile threats are emerging in areas of denied or contested airspace, in countries with sophisticated air defenses and detailed knowledge of satellite movements.

Newsweek also has an article with some more info

www.businessinsider.com...

“After years of silence on the subject, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works has revealed exclusively to AW&ST details of long-running plans for what it describes as an affordable hypersonic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike platform that could enter development in demonstrator form as soon as 2018. Dubbed the SR-72, the twin-engine aircraft is designed for a Mach 6 cruise, around twice the speed of its forebear, and will have the optional capability to strike targets.”

Read more: www.businessinsider.com...

reply to post by grey580


By 2018 my right unmentionable. I'm willing to put money it's flying right now and has been for years. Which means it's going to have an incredibly successful and fast test program.

See this thread for more

I've heard rumors of something looking very similar to this flying around right now. Very hush-hush, and I'm surprised to see it in the MSM.

Since there and no canopies shown on any of the renderings, I'm left to presume these will be or are "drones?" The future indeed!


edit: And by the way, what ever happened to intelgirl? I always enjoyed reading her posts.

Yeah, damn sexy aircraft. My though is, shouldn't they complete the F-35 first that countries have paid billions for?

reply to post by Zaphod58


Yeah I remember intelgurls post.

This certainly does confirm her information.
Very very cool.

And so begins the "This must be the Aurora!!!" comments... I've already had loads over on Facebook!!

Interesting that this has already been discussed in 2007, they must be pretty smug right now!!
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I thought there'd be a little bit more information on it, it just seems to say it exists, or will exist and will fly high and fast. Not much to go on at all!!

reply to post by intrepid


This one was first rumored to be ready to fly several years ago (around 2007 going by Natalie's post). So the 2018 is pure BS to keep people off the scent.

reply to post by Florasaurus


Oh god I know. I'm dreading those.

This story has actually crashed AvWeek.

Florasaurus
And so begins the "This must be the Aurora!!!" comments... I've already had loads over on Facebook!!

Interesting that this has already been discussed in 2007, they must be pretty smug right now!!
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I thought there'd be a little bit more information on it, it just seems to say it exists, or will exist and will fly high and fast. Not much to go on at all!!

Well the Aurora was always rumored to be a pulse jet.

This one doesn't seem to be.

I think it's an entirely different project.

reply to post by grey580


Aurora never existed. Period.

Maybe the Aurora rumour was just to catch everyones attention so they didn't sniff about this....

What do you guys think about the Skyquakes and doughnuts on a rope?? Is this the cause, is it another aircraft or are they something completely different??

reply to post by Florasaurus


I bet Aurora was a failed project that never got off the drawing board. They probably figured since it'll never leave the concept stage, why not use it as disinfo?

I'm not sure it's a drone. Perhaps it has a virtual "window" inside that uses cameras, radars, LIDAR, whatever to render the outside world inside? That would be awesome.

Yay, more war machines. USA USA USA.

reply to post by MystikMushroom


Aurora was the line item for the B-2 funding when it was classified still. It was left in the public release of the budget, and someone saw it and ran with it. It was never a concept or anything of the sort. Just someone reading something and running.

reply to post by Zaphod58


ahh i see.

but i'm sure there's other black projects out there.

we should compile a list of those one day.

reply to post by MystikMushroom


The rumours rumbling around in 2007 was that it was a drone... I reckon it'd be quite a hit on the human body to get up to + fly at mach 6

I finally was able to bring up the website.


www.aviationweek.com.../article-xml/awx_11_01_2013_p0-632731.xml

Ever since Lockheed’s unsurpassed SR-71 Blackbird was retired from U.S. Air Force service almost two decades ago, the perennial question has been: Will it ever be succeeded by a new-generation, higher-speed aircraft and, if so, when?

That is, until now. After years of silence on the subject, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works has revealed exclusively to AW&ST details of long-running plans for what it describes as an affordable hypersonic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike platform that could enter development in demonstrator form as soon as 2018. Dubbed the SR-72, the twin-engine aircraft is designed for a Mach 6 cruise, around twice the speed of its forebear, and will have the optional capability to strike targets.

Guided by the U.S. Air Force’s long-term hypersonic road map, the SR-72 is designed to fill what are perceived by defense planners as growing gaps in coverage of fast-reaction intelligence by the plethora of satellites, subsonic manned and unmanned platforms meant to replace the SR-71. Potentially dangerous and increasingly mobile threats are emerging in areas of denied or contested airspace, in countries with sophisticated air defenses and detailed knowledge of satellite movements.

A vehicle penetrating at high altitude and Mach 6, a speed viewed by Lockheed Martin as the “sweet spot” for practical air-breathing hypersonics, is expected to survive where even stealthy, advanced subsonic or supersonic aircraft and unmanned vehicles might not. Moreover, an armed ISR platform would also have the ability to strike targets before they could hide.

Although there has been evidence to suggest that work on various classified successors to the SR-71, or some of its roles, has been attempted, none of the tantalizing signs have materialized into anything substantial. Outside of the black world, this has always been relatively easy to explain. Though few question the compelling military imperative for high speed ISR capability, the astronomical development costs have made the notion a virtual nonstarter.

reply to post by Florasaurus


Maybe they figured out how to make inertial dampeners like on Star Trek?

What speeds do re-entering space craft achieve when they come back to Earth?