The Air Force and Space Force have sent a not-so-subtle YouTube message to countries messing with the U.S.’s various global sandboxes that includes what appears to be a sneak peak of a drone dubbed Son of Blackbird. Near the end of a short video extolling the Air Force’s intelligence capabilities, the slickly produced video cuts to dark image of a sleek and stealthy-looking aircraft in a hangar that meets the USAF geek description of the SR-72 Mach 6 snooping platform. The military forums lit up with speculation that the video preceded official confirmation of the super-secret program’s existence.
Lockheed Martin confirmed it was working on a successor to the Blackbird more than eight years ago but there hasn’t been any announcement since then. At the time, the company said it would be uncrewed and be twice as fast as its namesake. To hit those speeds, Aerotime Hub speculates the aircraft will have an engine that functions as both a turbine at lower speeds and a ramjet above Mach 3. The drone may also be armed with hypersonic missiles that the video apparently references in the comment that “the future is coming at Mach 18.”
Interesting contrast with the U2 cockpit shot at 1:41 in the video showing the rigged up Garmin GPS mount.
“a satellite that can read a magazine over your shoulder” Did they just confirm the resolution of the newest orbital equipment?
Ha. Calculate the aperture needed for that resolution, then take into account atmospheric events. License plate reading still ain’t happening.
“License plate reading still ain’t happening.”
Not far off though. Resolution is said to be around 2.5″ best case. “Not quite good enough for facial recognition” was the comment of one astronomer. Of course, that also would depend on the person looking up at the right time…. maybe we could add a laser on the satellite that the operator could flash at the guy, making him glance up?
Incidentally, I note research is in progress on a quantum technique that it is hoped will overcome radio antenna physical size (aperture) as a limiting factor in RF reception. Who knows, maybe at light frequencies too?
It’s a brief CGI shot. Nothing to see here.
Lets hope the military do not spend too much time on CRT theory and transgender issues at the expense of proper and appropriate training of these super spy interpreters.
How did we segue from Mach 6 to transgender?
Especially from someone with an androgynous name. Looks like an attempt to hijack the thread