super secret aircraft

Yes, its the X-43, and it works, still aint no airliner.

Originally posted by waynos
Yes, its the X-43, and it works, still aint no airliner.

yes but if you read into the links the scramjet uses very little fuel it burns mainly oxygen that it gets from the atmosphere so the issue of it being to expensive for commercial travel doesnt really hold up.

Its not just about the fuel burn, its also the expense of developing the airframe and engines for such an airliner, and don't say they have been, the X-43 is a 12 ft model which is a far cry from the reality of a large transport. You then have to somehow make this aircraft cheap enoug that airlines can charge reasonable fares for flying on it, so what sort of capacity is required to keep development, manufacturing, purchase and operating costs all at a reasonable level whilst offering enough capacity to make the job worthwhile?

This was one of Concordes major problems, it was always too small for the airlines, but it was the biggest it could be and work. Thats why the Boeing 2707 was scrapped, Boeing realised you needed to accomodate 300 passengers but the sheer logistics of it were impossible to achieve. America went with the right size and couldn't build it viably (the tech existed) while Europe went with making sure it worked and couldn't sell them.

A new transport faces exactly the same dilemma's and no 12 foot model is going to solve them.

Anyway we are losing touch with the main argument are there secret aircraft that are far and above more technologically advanced than we are lead to believe?

The answer to the question is, Yes, of course there is, I believe that for the technology we have now, the government has things about 50 years ahead of it.

So Secret projects(Special Access Programs) are probably more advanced that what we are told is in existence.

Shattered OUT...

I wonder if all or most of the sightings of UFOs in the last decade have been of these aircraft?

I'd say, Bet On It! Think about it. Have you ever asked yourself why most UFO sighting in the US are in the desert southwest? Basic common sense says that if you want to hide something, you put it in a place where few people go. Why do you think Groom Lake is the UFO capital of Nevada?

Tim

[edit on 6-2-2006 by ghost]

Finally found a place where I could post this, relevance being secret projects not alien craft. In 1977 while outside during the day in the Mojave, I happened to look up and saw a large kite shaped aircraft with a blue exhaust flame where the tail of the kite would be, no contrail, with a chase plane alongside. Oh, I thought, neat, an experimental something. About 9 years ago, while on the other side of the mountains late one summer night out in my backyard, I saw three pinpoints of amber lights flying abreast at a fast speed coming out of the south. I thought I was observing one military jet maybe, but then before arriving at zenith the dot on the left turned sharp 90deg east and the dot on the right turned 90deg west, and kept up the speed! Recently one night while camping in the Mojave I observed several military jets fly from the direction of Edwards AFB northward, then through my scope I saw these same craft flying southward "escorting" something which I couldn't make out at first. When the formation made a u-turn northward, the only thing I could make out on the lead craft was a bank of (exhaust?) lights, a long rectangle sectioned into several parts. One more instance of observances--my best friend, who believes in nothing!, was driving with her cousin late one night in the Mojave. She was a little shook up as she told me that she saw a "green flying boxcar", afraid I would call her crazy. I just told her that possibly she saw an aircraft from Edwards, as she was driving next to the base.
Anyway, a lot of what's tested is just for that purpose--testing.

Hey, what was that kite shaped metallic craft I saw in 77?

Originally posted by jta79
I hear everywhere stuff along the lines that its been top secret for as long as it has because it is so advanced and high tech and successful.

What if they simply didnt unveil it because it turned out to be an utter falure?

Sure Might be fast and what ever you would like to say about it, but maybe it just wasnt cost effective, or one of many other reasons that could be, including that there is also the posability that the only place in the world where this aircraft actually exists is in the minds of all of its fanatics.

Just my thoughts

I wouldnt say its a "failure" but most of the things seem to be "upgrading" from the inside out if you will. Have you ever seen a plane painted blue with white dots on it? There out there and yes they do blend in with the sky very well! All shapes and sizes.
Its not the out side so much as the inside,"the guts" of there toys. Take this from "here" and this from "there"....wires to fiber if you will.you know in the pass 50+ years that they have tested there shapes and sizes. (it the sizes and shapes that are test up on the edge of space im woundering about!)

Manned or unmanned the main idea of all of this up grading, to changing, to restoring the old is to have less deaths on our side and to have more information about the other side.