Lockheed Martin’s SR-72 Darkstar: A Mach 6 Bomber?

19FortyFive ^ | 1/28/2021 | Peter Suicu

[Red Badger]

[SuperLuminal]

Now that is awesome bird...
Makes it probable that it will be scuttled by our new masters...

[SmokingJoe]

Been hearing about it for years.
No idea if its real.
With satellites being so powerful these days, do we even need a mach 6 reconnaissance plane these days?
Mind you, there used to be an armed version of the SR 71 as well, no?

[Red Badger]

China copying is as we speak.....................

[Regulator]

Great to know that Kamala Harris is now in control of one of the world’s most capable bombers.

When does she attack Phoenix?

Oh Wait...Maricopa County is supposedly Democrat now.

Never mind.

[Reily]

“...Mind you, there used to be an armed version of the SR 71 as well, no?....”

I don’t think there ever was an armed version. I think that was a cover story.

[real saxophonist]

SR-72 would be Air Force. 'Maverick' is Navy. I doubt he would make a lateral move at this point in his career.

Unless, of course, he was forced to.

This is a bunch of fantasy crap. That thing will never fly, and it wouldn't be a bomber if it did.

[Rockingham]

Recon aircraft are more flexible, are harder for adversaries to predict and counter, and can get better images because they operate closer to targets than satellites.

[BenLurkin]

“Let’s have some music in here, boiler.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTa2vXL7FI8

[real saxophonist]

SR = Strategic Reconnaissance. No reason to be armed when it could outrun anything shot at it.

We have satellites that do that job now. Which is why the SR-72 will never fly, as anything but experimental.

[Little Pig]

Doesn’t the “SR” designation indicate that the aircraft is Reconnaissance?

[Lurkinanloomin]

China Joe just gave them the plans, may take a while for them to copy.

[SmokingJoe]

OK.
I bow to your superior knowledge on the matter.

[Jewbacca]

The engines would never be on the bottom.

[Reily]

Original design of the SR-71 was a 1 seater called the A-12. Pilot had to fly the plane and work all the recon gear. It was discovered that made for a way too busy pilot. Redeisigned as a two seater with pilot & recon operator. The original cover story for the A-12 was to be a long range fighter to escort the B-70. I had the model when I was a kid, it’s purpose was the first paragrph in t he model instructions. It was either a guess or a cover story.

[Red Badger]

If it’s doing Mach 6, it doesn’t matter where they are...................

[allblues]

There were three prototype YF12s built, designed to be interceptors. There were missile test firings, but none of these achieved operational status.

[Yo-Yo]

Mind you, there used to be an armed version of the SR 71 as well, no?

There was, and it was called the YF-12. It was never put into production.

[Celtic Conservative]

If they’re just starting to talk about it now we’ve had it for at least 10 years.

CC