Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia

The Lockheed Martin SR-72, colloquially referred to as "Son of Blackbird", is an American hypersonic UAV concept intended for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) proposed privately in 2013 by Lockheed Martin as a successor to the retired Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The company expected an SR-72 test vehicle could fly by 2025.

The SR-71 Blackbird was retired by the USAF in 1998, leaving a potential coverage gap between surveillance satellites, crewed aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike missions. With the growth of anti-satellite weapons, anti-access/area denial tactics, and counter-stealth technologies, it was thought that a high-speed aircraft could penetrate protected airspace and observe or strike a target before enemies could detect or intercept it. The proposed reliance on extremely high speed to penetrate defended airspace is considered a significant conceptual departure from the emphasis on stealth in fifth-generation jet fighter programs and projected drone developments.

Lockheed/Martin Stealth Aircraft

Lockheed/Martin Aircraft
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

General Info

Crew: 2; Pilot and reconnaissance systems officer (RSO)
Length: 107 ft 5 in (32.74 m)
Wingspan: 55 ft 7 in (16.94 m)
Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
Wheel track: 16 ft 8 in (5 m)
Wheelbase: 37 ft 10 in (12 m)
Wing area: 1,800 sq ft (170 m2)

Powerplant

Empty weight: 67,500 lb (30,617 kg)
Gross weight: 152,000 lb (68,946 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 172,000 lb (78,018 kg)
Fuel capacity: 12,219.2 US gal (10,174.6 imp gal; 46,255 L) in 6 tank groups (9 tanks)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J58 (JT11D-20J or JT11D-20K) afterburning turbojets, 25,000 lbf (110 kN) thrust each

Specifications

Maximum speed: 1,910 kn (2,200 mph, 3,540 km/h) at 80,000 ft (24,000 m)
Maximumspeed: Mach 3.3
Ferry range: 2,824 nmi (3,250 mi, 5,230 km)
Service ceiling: 85,000 ft (27,000 m) Clasifided

Avionics

Avionics 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) of mission equipment Itek KA-102A 36–48 in (910–1,220 mm) camera Signals and Electronic Intelligence equipment in the following compartments A - nose radar D - right chine bay E - electronics bay K - left forward mission bay L - right forward mission bay

Special Links Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

Links to Youtube & Others

On 1 November 2013, media outlets reported that Skunk Works has been working on an unmanned reconnaissance airplane it has named SR-72, which would fly twice as fast as the SR-71, at Mach 6. However, the USAF is officially pursuing the Northrop Grumman RQ-180 UAV to assume the SR-71's strategic ISR role

Lockheed/Martin
SR-72 Blackbird

"The new aircraft is expected to strike targets anywhere across a continent in less than an hour."

Youtube Link

The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23, is an American single-seat, twin-engine stealth fighter aircraft technology demonstrator designed for the United States Air Force.

Lockheed
SR-71 Blackbird

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

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Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

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Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
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