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Lockheed’s SR-72 Could Fill Crucial Pentagon Need
Naval Institute Proceedings ^ | 1 Nov 13 | David Mamjudar

Posted on 11/02/2013 6:03:43 AM PDT by LSUfan

Could Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ SR-72 hypersonic concept design fill the Pentagon’s need for a penetrating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft? The answer could be yes.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.usni.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: airforce; mac6; mach6; navy; sr71; sr72; stealth; supersonic; usaf; usn
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1 posted on 11/02/2013 6:03:43 AM PDT by LSUfan
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To: LSUfan

Doesn’t the release of a concept sketch mean the prototype is working well?


2 posted on 11/02/2013 6:07:42 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: LSUfan

One of the biggest blunders was decommissioning the SR-71...IMHO. Perfectly good aircraft with years left in service life and it was ditched with the preposterous excuse that it was “Too expensive to operate”.


3 posted on 11/02/2013 6:17:03 AM PDT by ontap
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To: Paladin2

dunno...nice looking concept drawing, though. Penetrating ISR.....hmmm. Does that mean it goes so fast nothing can catch it? Flies so high?

If I were going to develop a counter to one of these, I think I’d investigate some sort of atmospheric seeding combustion killer that could be dispersed by missile over a large area in front of it.... that is, if you knew where it was going


4 posted on 11/02/2013 6:19:11 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: LSUfan

Why even speculate about this? Under the current regime it would not be fair for the US to have a superior military aircraft. The only thing Obama would do with this file is to hand it over to the Chinese, or even the Saudis.


5 posted on 11/02/2013 6:24:34 AM PDT by duckworth (Perhaps instant karma's going to get you. Perhaps not.)
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To: duckworth

You know the Clintoons would.


6 posted on 11/02/2013 6:30:24 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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To: LSUfan
Really? Does anyone really believe that the Air Force and/or CIA would call such an aircraft "SR-72?" Wouldn't that name be a dead giveaway.

Speaking from professional experience, it is much more likely that such program would have a quite different name.

I remember buying an "F-19" model as a teen (the aircraft also showed up in a wargame that I bought). But the real program at Tenopah turned out to be the F-117--which looks entirely different. And frankly, the F-117 should have been called "A-117" given its actual combat role.

7 posted on 11/02/2013 6:33:48 AM PDT by Lysandru
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Don’t be ridiculous, the Clinton’s wouldn’t simply hand over US technology to our enemies. They’d have to receive a political contribution from a US citizen confederate before they would compromise US security by technology transfer.


8 posted on 11/02/2013 6:35:41 AM PDT by Sgt_Schultze (A half-truth is a complete lie)
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To: Sgt_Schultze
Like those sequentially numbered cashiers checks on the Lippo Bank that Algore received from “Buddhist Nuns” ?
9 posted on 11/02/2013 6:40:29 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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To: ontap

“Too expensive to operate” = “We already have a replacement”.


10 posted on 11/02/2013 6:41:18 AM PDT by dljordan (WhoVoltaire: "To find out who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.")
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To: dljordan

Exactly. We rarely see the new generation.


11 posted on 11/02/2013 6:46:02 AM PDT by volunbeer (We must embrace austerity or austerity will embrace us)
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To: Lysandru
I remember buying an "F-19" model as a teen (the aircraft also showed up in a wargame that I bought). But the real program at Tenopah turned out to be the F-117--which looks entirely different. And frankly, the F-117 should have been called "A-117" given its actual combat role.

Reminds me in my model building days I had a model of an SR-71 which included sidewinder air-to-air missiles deployed from small missile bays under the belly. One can't imagine an SR-71 engaging in air-to-air combat.

12 posted on 11/02/2013 6:46:48 AM PDT by Flick Lives (The U.S. is dead to me.)
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To: Flick Lives
One can't imagine an SR-71 engaging in air-to-air combat.

It could launch missiles and get to the target ahead of them. :)

13 posted on 11/02/2013 6:49:29 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves (CTRL-GALT-DELETE)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

I was remembering the donations he received from Loral’s Bernie Schwartz and the subsequent permitting of the transfer of missile MIRV technology to the chicoms. That enabled the development of the Chinese ICBM.

Fifty years and trillions of dollars in defense investments by the American taxpayer was obliterated in a single afternoon transfer of $100,000 to the impeached former president’s campaign account. And the chicoms were able to make a 20 year leap in technological prowess through an incidental investment.


14 posted on 11/02/2013 6:59:46 AM PDT by Sgt_Schultze (A half-truth is a complete lie)
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To: LSUfan

In June 1986, the Soviets were finally able to mount a successful SR-71 intercept using their new MiG-31 Foxhounds. In a coordinated intercept over the Barents Sea, six Mig-31s subjected a lone SR-71 to an all-angle air-to-air missile intercept. Fortunately for the American crew, they were over international waters, but the Soviets had proven their point. I’m guessing that once the Blackbird lost its aura of invincibility, the Air Force decided to phase it out and look for something hypersonic rather than supersonic.


15 posted on 11/02/2013 7:09:18 AM PDT by steelhead_trout (MYOB)
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To: Flick Lives
Check this bit of history out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_YF-12

16 posted on 11/02/2013 7:11:35 AM PDT by Lysandru
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To: Paladin2

If the sr 72 really does cruise at mach 6, this plane probably can be used as a bomber. Who needs stealth when you are at mach 6. I don’t even think there are any missles except for ICBMs that can catch a mach 6 plane.

It would also make an interesting commercial plane. You can go from NY to Beijing in about 3 hours.


17 posted on 11/02/2013 7:12:52 AM PDT by staytrue
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To: ontap
One of the biggest blunders was decommissioning the SR-71... with the preposterous excuse that it was “Too expensive to operate”.

Special mechanics, special pilots/training, and most expensive - special fuel delivered by aerial tankers in faraway places. If you wanted to track the SR-71 you might follow the KC-135 tanker carrying its special fuel and wait for the blackbird to show up. Knowing this, I suspect the AF would have a whole fleet of KC-135's full of the special fuel in the air all over the world, with only one or two actually meeting up with an SR-71. Expensive enough yet?

Also, I believe improvements in sensing and anti-aircraft missile tech made it increasingly dangerous to fly over hostile territory. Maybe there's still a need for recon, but is a manned aircraft still needed for this job?

OTOH I have to agree that decommissioning the SR-71 was a mistake. Beautiful aircraft, unique design, still the fastest thing in the air. It should have been kept flying, but for pure research into the science of speed. If they quit trying to keep it so secret, a lot of the expense would go away.

18 posted on 11/02/2013 7:29:20 AM PDT by ZOOKER (Until further notice the /s is implied...)
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To: ZOOKER

We will have to agree to disagree: At the time the SR-71 was decommissioned there was nothing that even got close to shooting it down. To compare the cost of operating a totally successful aircraft to developing a new one isn’t even close... as far as the special fuel...why wouldn’t the same qualities be needed for the newer aircraft if it is going to operate in the same environment? In my opinion the SR-71 was decommissioned for political reasons. I have nothing to offer as proof other than the liberal policy of F&*king up any military program that is successful!!!


19 posted on 11/02/2013 7:39:57 AM PDT by ontap
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To: ontap

I have heard a rumor that there was a particular USAF General who pushed to scrap the SR-71 program because he was bitter about washing out of the pilot selection process for SR-71s early in his career. When he achieved the rank and billet with the authority, he recommended to civilian leadership to end the program.

Don’t know if it is true.


20 posted on 11/02/2013 7:54:00 AM PDT by LSUfan
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