Cool looking bird

I saw this on the Chinese app TicToc.
nitter.kavin.rocks...
This guy supposedly videos a semi with a pretty sleek bird on it back, at the Helendale Radar Cross Section Facility.


I believe when they test some of the platforms, the craft is upside down, but here it is on the Semi.



I don't believe a phone or camera would be allowed in this SCIF. Having driven Semi's for the company (many years ago), I would never load something heavy on the rear axles.
So, considering this, 1. It's an empty shell, probably fiberglass. 2. Somebody screwed up and is on there way to a supermax. 3. Why isn't it tarped. Or, 4. A CoIntelOp.

Now that I look at it a little longer, it could be right side up.

Something I just noticed. His Left rear duel tires are smoking. From what, too much weight?

It's upside down. They test RCS upside down so that the mounts don't cast shadows on the surface being tested. Most radars would be looking up towards the craft. Something like that, anyway.

I think this is rumored to be related to the NG NGAD bid.

Edit to correct:

Not Northrup Grumman, but Lockheed Martin's bid.

Just saw this.

Could this be Skyborg?

a reply to: Violater1

Yea that's got to be a shell...there is no way you'd ever load that much weight so far back on a semi.

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
It's upside down. They test RCS upside down so that the mounts don't cast shadows on the surface being tested. Most radars would be looking up towards the craft. Something like that, anyway.

I think this is rumored to be related to the NG NGAD bid.

Edit to correct:

Not Northrup Grumman, but Lockheed Martin's bid.

Riiight.
Like this.

a reply to: Violater1

Pretty much. Here are some other examples.






US Military Aircraft Upside Down On A Pedestal!

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
It's upside down. They test RCS upside down so that the mounts don't cast shadows on the surface being tested. Most radars would be looking up towards the craft. Something like that, anyway.

I think this is rumored to be related to the NG NGAD bid.

Edit to correct:

Not Northrup Grumman, but Lockheed Martin's bid.

I think you're right.






Or at least, very close.

a reply to: Violater1

More than likely a wheel bearing, or leaking airbag letting the brakes drag. Or something else brake related.

a reply to: Violater1

I don't think Boeing would be testing at Hellendale. That's LM's place.

And pretty sure that's a "fan made" render and not official in any capacity.

Wouldn't the ground show up in the radar picture too?

Another question, if radar works on reflecting beams back to the source, could a satellite or high flying circling plane pick up the radar beams that are not reflected and give the satellite a negative of that aircraft?

Naive questions?

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
a reply to: Violater1

I don't think Boeing would be testing at Hellendale. That's LM's place.

And pretty sure that's a "fan made" render and not official in any capacity.

But what would a fan do with this?
Going all the way for a RCS would not be cheap.
Oohh, unless the Chinese were doing it.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Honestly...probably. The trick is having a sat in the right place right time to pick it up.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

If you look in the background of the pictures you can see some of the radar facilities. They're finely tuned systems of masts and look more akin to the Big Ear than traditional radomes.

a reply to: Violater1

I was talking about your drawing with the Boeing logos on it. It's not real, but a fan-made rendering. The craft being RCS tested is presumably real, and made by LM.

a reply to: RickyD
It would just be a 2D negative though, I guess.

@the right persons reading this: I am in for being hired as a naive smart ass asking naive questions never dared to ask, to solve all your problems, if the payment is correct :-P

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

If you look in the background of the pictures you can see some of the radar facilities. They're finely tuned systems of masts and look more akin to the Big Ear than traditional radomes.

a reply to: Violater1

I was talking about your drawing with the Boeing logos on it. It's not real, but a fan-made rendering. The craft being RCS tested is presumably real, and made by LM.

OK,

a reply to: Violater1

Already posted in the 6th gen fighter thread.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

That's why they test them upside down. They have detailed measurements of everything from the pole, to the ground behind the pole.

a reply to: Zaphod58

If the opposing, nosy force has these measurements too, they only need a billion more sat in all kind of places to figure it out. Interesting how turning around this thing 180°, polarizes the amount of work needed to get the info from a little to very much.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

It's entirely possible that this is only a portion of skin from an airframe. They'll use it to get specific measurements of specific components on the skin. Or it could just be a pole cap, which is used to measure certain frequencies of radar on the pole.