Has the NGAD "fighter" been spotted at Area 51?

a reply to: BASSPLYR

could be


interesting they have what looks like a faraday cage around it

a reply to: noscopebacon

it kind of looks like f23 inlets

As mentioned before, it looks like a grippen or a Typhoon (some typhoons were participating to red flag 22-01 if I’m correct), which would explain why they’re not necessarily trying to hide it as it is not by any stretch a secret airframe.
I just highly doubt we are seeing a “black” aircraft, even if it would make sense in the context of tensions with Russia and Ukraine. If they would show something it would more likely be a glimpse instead of something kept on the ground for a couple of days. I doubt Groom would keep something black in the open for that long.

The most probable explanation in my opinion (I don’t have any privileged information) is a known aircraft (grippen/typhoon) being there for testing/evaluation. Or a Typhoon that had to divert due to an emergency, which is why they keep it apart in an improvised shelter waiting for a repair.
Or they’re just fooling everyone with a model or something to see the reactions lol.

a reply to: Ghoul
You realy thing that Typhoon could be in the taxi way of the more secure part of Area51 ? Do you think it have sense ? This is a show of force with the extreme tension in Ukraine, they let it see because they want to be seen. What it could be don't know , New fighter , long range supersonic Bomber , new big UCAV ? You can't find a tail too on the picture surely tailless. When you watch the picture there is some sort of truck or car in front of the shelter.

a reply to: darksidius

It wouldn't be the first time a Red Flag jet landed at a base known for top secret testing, and spent a few days there. It certainly won't be the last if that's what happened here. If this was a show of force, it would be far more likely to be caught flying somewhere. A jet on the ground could be anything from a plywood cutout, to something painted on a tarp. And a jet that's roughly 50 feet long isn't much of a show of force.

a reply to: darksidius

Yes absolutely, otherwise I wouldn't have wrote it. And I'm not the only one to think this is a Grippen/Typhoon. (or at least a known plateform) .
Here's a comparison between the planeform of let's say a Grippen and our mysterious aircraft. (I just precise I'm not the author of this comparison, if he comes across it he will recognise himself )



Some details like the exhaust, the canards and overall size (according to the estimates) match quites well. But I agree the details aren't great and there is some shadowand the roof being tricky. And I honestly don't see how you can tell it is tail less.

Also it doesn't make sense to leave a black aircraft in the open air for days on the ground. If they wanted to show something, it would probably have been a fly off of some kind, just like they did back in 2014 (wichita and amarillo).
And that's considering the US would intervene in the event of a russian invasion of ukraine, which is very unlikely (due to the shift of focus from russia/middle east to China in the past few years). But that's another subject and it is not linked to aviation anymore.

a reply to: Ghoul

That's looking pretty good.

a reply to: Ghoul

You've got a point.

a reply to: Zaphod58
You're right, but whatever fake aircraft that is painted on the shroud sure has everyone wildly speculating.

a reply to: jwal5150

Which may very well be the idea, if it's not an actual aircraft. Engineers have a warped sense of humor. Hell, they might very well have done it to troll people, because it wouldn't cost much to do, and they knew that heads will explode when it got seen.

a reply to: Zaphod58

they knew that heads will explode when it got seen.

*looks down and waves* hi.

a reply to: Ghoul
Where is the single tail ? , and the shape of the wings doesn't match , and there is plenty of hangar at Area 51 and for a Gripen it will stand in front of the more isolated and surely secure of the base ? It is a strange story no ? There is no difference color of a cockpit too.

a reply to: darksidius

And you think leaving a black project sitting in the open for multiple satellite passes makes more sense?

a reply to: anzha

the real question is what is that big shadow under the artistic building top


looks like the bubble building has something painted on in, they even pained the runway line and on the turn it doesnt match up

and in one picture you can see something big in shadow under the building

a reply to: Zaphod58
Having black projects who nobody never see it, and stay urban legend have no interest too and realy explain why they choose this part of Area51 ? they can go TTR , Nellis AFB , why choosing this South hangar for a Gripen ? if it is a Gripen who have a technic problem there is a lot of hangar on Area51 why choosing this one ?

Maybe just needs a quick refuel.

a reply to: darksidius

better question is unless this is a red flab, or used in dogfighting each other, or radar stuff, but if its not a painting on the bubble roof there is something very large and the wing tips are bent at a pretty extreme amount of wing in the curve.


If this is a legit photo and not something we know about it might be an entry for the US's family of systems, so to speak.

the way the tips turn up in the wings and the apparent angle of the wings seems like it might top out Mach 2-3

maybe a replacement for a smaller stealth bomber?

a reply to: darksidius

Because it was convenient, didn’t have anything in it, or they wanted to. Black projects are black for a reason. They aren’t supposed to be seen, and seeing one sitting on the ramp doesn’t prove anything. It could be inflatable. It could be wooden. It could be painted on the roof of a shelter.

a reply to: Zaphod58

i get the subterfuge


i even addressed that is other posts.


if you want to know what i really think is under that clear covering think it is hiding the B21 or some other things


i have been to nellis afb but never out to the test site.


even back than they were using heaters to warm up the jets 'outlets' of a wooden aircraft never to be built. to fool IR sats.
and if they were really trying to hide whatever they would have just moved the whole hanger to its spot on the runway or to where ever it was going

so i think this is just that, a limited hang out. They clearly did this as the sat was going over on a perfect imaging done, on that same not it could be a scaled down of the loser of the B21 and i say loser with " "

a reply to: noscopebacon

There is a fact that the shelter was here empty 2 days before this picture with the craft. And may be you are right this could be the B-21 inside the hangar and why not a ucav companion in the shelter ? may be jus a day of lying test for the companion not realy full black project but the B-21 in the hangar to never be seen.The technology of the companion less sensitive than the B-21 , just a theory. Usaf leader say two week ago a program for an escort UAV for the B-21.