Semi-secret US Air Force long-endurance spy drone breaks cover

New Atlas ^ | July 3, 2024 | David Szondy

[Red Badger]

[Red Badger]

AVIATION PING!....................

[Blurb2350]

The Houthis: “Hold my non-alcoholic beer.”

[Governor Dinwiddie]

[steve86]

This is the drone based on the Stemme S12 motorglider, with the resemblance clearly visible. Lots of articles about the Ultra over the past few months.

[Chode]

a Schweizer SGS 1???

[mabarker1]

YB-49 off spring ?

[Delta 21]

How come they put a bump for the pilot on a pilotless aircraft?

[Red Badger]

I asked the same question.

Maybe it’s just tradition..................

[logi_cal869]

“...much cheaper...” than MQ9.

---

No dollar amount. Figures.

[RayChuang88]

It’s definitely not overflying any territory. More like operating along the country borders to do electronics intelligence. The even more secretive Northop Grumman RQ-180 drone likely will overfly enemy territory because that is a truly stealthy RPV.

[CurlyDave]

...How come they put a bump for the pilot on a pilotless aircraft?...

It is faster and less expensive to mimic a proven, existing aircraft than to make any changes.

[Chode]

[VAarea]

I’m sure it’s for the satellite communications antenna.

[antidemoncrat]

I wonder how long it will take China to steal the plans for it .. I stand corrected ... I wonder how long ti took China to steal the plans for it.

[SuperLuminal]

Also a relevant question: How many of its electronic components are chicom manufactured?

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

Does it get us out of or into wars started by the CIA, like Ukraine?

Answered before the ?

[BobL]

“Also a relevant question: How many of its electronic components are chicom manufactured?”

About half. I remember seeing an article on it, it was either 40% or 60% of our electronic components used by the military come from China.

Maybe some day we’ll have leaders capable of understanding the RISK that puts our country in, especially when they also run around the world starting wars, some of them quite large.

[PAR35]

Vertical stabilizer looks disproportionate.

And the exhaust on the bottom seems helpful to anyone using a heat seeking warhead.

[Gaffer]

That’s where the satgear goes. It’s a radome covering the satellite antenna, etc. If you look at the Global Hawk, same thing. It’s a little less pronounced on the Reaper.