SR-72 Confirmed: Mach 6 Project Blackswift

Oh, how I wish ATS would stop posts that start with some anonymous "extremely reliable source"

reply to post by babybunnies


It depends on who starts the thread. In a lot of cases I'd take it with a huge grain of salt or call BS. In this case howeverI believe it because the author has much credibility and knows what she's talking about.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I concur. Where'd she go anyway? Seems like she got married and split!

reply to post by boomer135


Yeah, that's what it seems like. That makes me sad, as I always looked forward to her threads. They were always really good, and thought provoking.

Hmm I've only just seen this thread as you lot have bumped. Just because she didn't name her source still a good thread with some nice infomation

My question is why waste money developing a super fast spy (I presume it's a spy plane) plane when satellites can do the job

reply to post by ThePeaceMaker


Flexibility. Just about anyone with a calculator, and sufficient knowledge knows down to the second when a satellite is going overhead. I heard that Edwards and Groom used to have boards up with times of Soviet satellite passes, so that they could have everything hidden away from up to like 45 minutes before and after the pass. A high speed aircraft on the other hand can go overhead any time, and at high altitude can get a similar area of coverage.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Ah yes thanks for your reply I didn't think of it like that.

I'm planning on writing up a topic on spy satellites later tonite you guys might find interesting.

reply to post by boomer135


Sounds interesting I'll look forward to it

reply to post by JennaDarling

Being american technology, it won't exactly be safe nor reliable. Ask any chinook pilot (especially the dead ones).

In light of both the U-2 and SR-71 projects I'd say both platforms were safe and reliable. Hell, the U-2 probably prevented WWIII with the Soviet Union. I don't think I'd put aircraft like F-15/16's, the U-2, SR-71 in the same category as chinooks....though I do agree they are encumbered with mechanical problems.

reply to post by Cosmic911


Helicopters all have mechanical problems. The best description I've ever heard of a helicopter is "a million pieces all going in opposite directions trying to fly apart at the same time."

The big problem with the F-15/16 is their age. The F-15 fleet is approaching 70%+ of its lifecycle, with some at 90%. Both are just old.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Yep, you're right. I flew medevac for ten years. Rotor craft have way more moving parts than fixed wing. They are maintenance pigs.

reply to post by Cosmic911


We used to have HH-53s, and they were pigs. From what I've heard with the Marine CH-53, it's a 44-1 man hour to flight hour ratio. That's just ridiculous that it's so high.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Wow... that's quite the ratio. Our old fleet of BO 105s cost us about 800 bucks an hour to operate. That's pretty costly for a small not for profit.

Wouldn't surprise me if this plane (or some outgrowth of it) were already in use. I know we haul out the older planes now and then for missions, but I have to believe we have something in place that is doing the role of the Blackbird since it was officially retired, even if UAV. This seems like a good contender. 2020....yeah right. Maybe for when to go PUBLIC with it....

Originally posted by Gazrok
Wouldn't surprise me if this plane (or some outgrowth of it) were already in use. I know we haul out the older planes now and then for missions, but I have to believe we have something in place that is doing the role of the Blackbird since it was officially retired, even if UAV. This seems like a good contender.

2020....yeah right. Maybe for when to go PUBLIC with it....

I'll just say "something" like it exists. it needs to be refueled right? someone might have pics then right? right zaph?

reply to post by boomer135


I don't know what you're talking about.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Gotta love boom operators.
Seeing stuff that's all top secret and never saying what they saw.

lol

Anything here look familiar?

goo.gl...

Don't know what your talking about

Aliens could be making this craft?