Pictures Of Mystery Plane Over Wichita

Most definitely resembles human aircraft of some sort. ETs don't use crappy propulsion to fly craft like we do. It might not be a stealth bombed but it sure looks a lot like one so my theory is it's just a new military aircraft with some improvements on their original ones.

Edit: As for flying it around on broad daylight - maybe they want people to think it's a UFO then they can later say they were flying a new military craft around and people thought it was a UFO, giving further credence to their denial of UFOs.

a reply to: boomer135

So it's unmanned? Hard to make out a cockpit in that rendering

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Blue Goblin

That's because it depends on who the message was for.

What's that message? "All you suckers who bought the F-35 as a lousy air-to-air, and a lousy ground-attack: *ha-ha*. Air Force gets F-22 and A-13, and you're stuck with a golden turd with a fancy radio."

a reply to: mbkennel

Isn't the Air Force getting 1700+ of those fancy radios too?

a reply to: mbkennel

Probably for Russia as a show of force over Ukraine, then Russia responded by buzzing their aircraft carrier the other day.

ETA: that's if my Russian satellite being overhead at the time thing pans out lol

originally posted by: TXRabbit
a reply to: boomer135

So it's unmanned? Hard to make out a cockpit in that rendering

They're talking about a different program, altogether.

That rendering is a screenshot from a Boeing PowerPoint, outlining simulated unmanned refueling systems.

These two airframes that were seen over Amarillo and Kansas are both manned... One of them, will eventually have an 'optionally-manned' variant, further into its program. But these are both definitely manned at the moment.

Can somebody tell me why the US needs this new program ?

originally posted by: TritonTaranis
Can somebody tell me why the US needs this new program ?

Because it's nice to know what's going on in other places. And it's handy to be able to do so whenever you'd like to know.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: TritonTaranis
Can somebody tell me why the US needs this new program ?

Because it's nice to know what's going on in other places. And it's handy to be able to do so whenever you'd like to know.

But isn't there already platforms capable of doing this?

I'm pretty puzzled tbh, it doesn't look very ground breaking to me, and I can't see how the USAF can warrant such a purchase, seems like another waste of tax payers money

a reply to: TXRabbit

defense-update.com...

Here's the link if your interested.

a reply to: TritonTaranis

No. The only platforms capable of doing it are either slow and non-stealthy, or don't have enough range to do it if they are stealthy.

a reply to: TritonTaranis

You can't really just look at a jet and go that doesn't look very ground breaking, when you have no idea of what the aircraft can actually do.

Looks too big for a drone
Looks too big for a fighter
Looks the wrong shape for a spy plane
Looks about right for a stealth bomber
Or might be modified & re-purposed B2 for use as an AWACS possibly?

a reply to: Zaphod58

When I saw these pics the last week I was instantly reminded of the cancelled A-12 Avenger II. Its probably a replacement for the F-117 now that it has been retired.

originally posted by: TritonTaranis
Can somebody tell me why the US needs this new program ?

From what I've read in the public domain, these new planes will be cheaper and more stealthy. Because of the lower cost as compared to the really expensive B-2, it should save tax dollars if the same number of aircraft are bought.

The Russians have been developing advanced digital VHF radar which supposedly can detect first generation US stealth aircraft.

It's an arms race between stealth and anti-stealth technology. Popular Mechanics has a good article about this:

Russian-Made Tech Vs. America's Stealth Warplanes

The low cost make me wonder though if these new planes will be subsonic. Even if they are, they have a better chance of defeating the new Russian/Chinese radars and complete their missions.

a reply to: ionwind

Now if only there was a way to make a quiet boom then they could fly over going supersonic and no one would ever know.

originally posted by: Stealthbomber
a reply to: ionwind

Now if only there was a way to make a quiet boom then they could fly over going supersonic and no one would ever know.

Interesting. It looks like NASA has been working on just that: Waveforms and Sonic boom Perception and Response, or WSPR. I'll believe it when I see it and don't hear it.

NASA Quiet Sonic Boom Research

If true we could have supersonic commercial jets flying into major cities.

originally posted by: TritonTaranis
Can somebody tell me why the US needs this new program ?

Because if you never have new programs you fall behind. When you fall behind you run the risk of someone attacking you.

a reply to: ionwind

It's Been on the cards for a while, theoretically NASA shouldn't withhold research from the public but in reality they will. I just sent Zaph a link the other day with a report on NASA doing laminar flow tests where the findings from the test were restricted.

Life imitates art and art imitates life. I have a two part theory. One is that we can pick up things, ideas, visions, etc. through ESP or clairvoyance and these thoughts and ideas filter into art and story and other aspects of life. This triangle looks very much like the Red Skull's jet from the Captain America movie. Did the creators imagine something that already existed? Coincidence, sychronicity, call it what you will.
I'm a little skeptical of this in this instance given the big budget production company of the film. Rather I think TPTB release these images and ideas as teasers and as jokes that they no doubt find amusing. That's the second part of the theory, that we're being exposed to some ideas and technology and the existence of things thought fiction to slowly prepare us for them when they're finally revealed to us. Then again, maybe its done to keep us skeptical of reports of these things. If we see a movie about mechanical stingrays glowing underwater( for example) and then people actually do report seeing them, then we're far less likely to take those reports seriously. We'll just chalk them up to hoaxes or crazy people imagining things.
So maybe some of TV and the movies are real. That creeps me out when I think about the TV series V.