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The RQ-180 Drone Will Emerge From The Shadows As The Centerpiece of A Air Combat Revolution The Air Force's secretive, very stealthy, and high-flying drone won't be just a better spy aircraft, it will be a deeply networked game-changer.
The War Zone ^ | April 1, 2021 | By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on 04/02/2021 7:18:04 AM PDT by PIF

When it comes to phantom aircraft that are the product of 'bleeding-edge' technologies and supposedly exist only in the shadows, the so-called RQ-180 is unrivaled in our time. The existence of this high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) stealth drone has all but been officially disclosed. Specters of its existence and growing maturity seem to materialize around every turn, and as of November 2020, the public may have gotten its first glimpse of this aircraft that has existed behind a veil of secrecy and innuendo for over a decade. This is the first in a three-part series - the product of a ghost hunt of sorts that has lasted well over two years - that tells the story - as best as we can piece it together - of what is likely the most important military aircraft of a generation.

what is this aircraft supposed to do and why does it exist?

This is an impossible question for us to answer definitively at this time, and details are bound to change, in some cases possibly significantly, but drawing on a large number of clues, open-source information, historical precedent, capability gaps, emerging technologies, ongoing procurement and development initiatives, the picture, at least as we see it, becomes somewhat clear.

... the RQ-180 could be defined as a networking and reconnaissance platform that is capable of penetrating and persisting deep into enemy airspace. We are talking about a large, twin-engine, flying wing aircraft with slender laminar-flow optimized wings. Its overall design is largely motivated by highly advanced, broadband, all-aspect, very low-observable (stealth) requirements. It is meant to fly at very high altitudes in contested airspace, at or in excess of 70,000 feet, for very long periods of time without ever being detected.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedrive.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: drone; rq180; usaf
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1 posted on 04/02/2021 7:18:05 AM PDT by PIF
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To: PIF

assuming they can keep the Iranians from hacking them..


2 posted on 04/02/2021 7:19:37 AM PDT by RitchieAprile (available monkeys looking for the change..)
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To: PIF

With democrats in charge of the military this thing won’t work.


3 posted on 04/02/2021 7:22:19 AM PDT by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: PIF

Just make it a VR game (a la Ender’s War) and we could not be defeated.


4 posted on 04/02/2021 7:22:30 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (No matter what, resist and stop the agenda of blow bidet and hairass the whore)
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To: PIF

5 posted on 04/02/2021 7:22:49 AM PDT by Red Badger ("We've always been at war with Climate Change, Winston."..............................)
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To: PIF

6 posted on 04/02/2021 7:23:26 AM PDT by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic...)
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To: PIF

Wonder if the Air Force talks to the Navy. If they did then whoever is rational in the Navy would realize that the era of surface combatants is over. Also if the truth be told so are most armored vehicles.

However given the nature of the politically correct, over decorated , never saw real combat, pole climbing hidebound generals and battleship admirals that run the Pentagon and currently command, many brave young Americans will have to die and suffer for the lack of leadership.


7 posted on 04/02/2021 7:23:48 AM PDT by allendale
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To: freedumb2003

That's no Moon................................

8 posted on 04/02/2021 7:23:57 AM PDT by Red Badger ("We've always been at war with Climate Change, Winston."..............................)
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To: Bonemaker

With democrats in charge of the military this thing won’t work.

—’
Well it apparently already does work; if the Dems keep funding it, they will find a way to use in on US citizens


9 posted on 04/02/2021 7:24:00 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Red Badger

Looks just like Saturn’s moon Iapetus ...


10 posted on 04/02/2021 7:25:10 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: allendale
If they did then whoever is rational in the Navy would realize that the era of surface combatants is over. Also if the truth be told so are most armored vehicles.

Manned jet fighters and bombers, also. But today’s Billy Mitchells are being systematically replaced by conformist woketards - so it’s likely large segments of the US military will go down clutching their 20th Century relics before a future conservative administration can ever fix the problems.

11 posted on 04/02/2021 7:27:37 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves ([CTRL]-[GALT]-[DELETE])
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To: PIF
.......Sure does!...........
12 posted on 04/02/2021 7:30:18 AM PDT by Red Badger ("We've always been at war with Climate Change, Winston."..............................)
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To: PIF

The picture was taken a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...


13 posted on 04/02/2021 7:30:28 AM PDT by Alas Babylon! ("You, the American people, are my only special interest." --President Donald J. Trump)
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To: Red Badger

a white drone? that’s racist!


14 posted on 04/02/2021 7:31:24 AM PDT by wny ( s)
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To: wny

PROTOTYPE..................


15 posted on 04/02/2021 7:32:06 AM PDT by Red Badger ("We've always been at war with Climate Change, Winston."..............................)
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To: PIF

Wasn’t it Obama who let Iran take one of our drones?


16 posted on 04/02/2021 7:33:37 AM PDT by ryderann
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To: Red Badger

Can you imagine how many Starbucks would have been on that thing?


17 posted on 04/02/2021 7:35:08 AM PDT by BBQToadRibs2
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To: Bonemaker

If it’s any good, the Demolishocrats will give it to China.


18 posted on 04/02/2021 7:37:37 AM PDT by _longranger81 (God help us, Every One. )
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To: BBQToadRibs2
.....Just one...............
19 posted on 04/02/2021 7:40:12 AM PDT by Red Badger ("We've always been at war with Climate Change, Winston."..............................)
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To: RitchieAprile

Built from Chinese components. But they promised no back doors.


20 posted on 04/02/2021 7:44:31 AM PDT by pas
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