Has Lockheed Martin FINISHED building the secret hypersonic successor to the Blackbird? Skunkworks boss hints unmanned SR-72 bomber has 'already been made'

  • Unmanned SR-72 will be a strike and reconnaissance aircraft that tops Mach 6 
  • Firm has been working on the project since the early 2000s 
Lockheed Martin's secretive Skunk Works unit may have already finished making the radical hypersonic update of the long-retired Mach 3 SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. 
Jack O’Banion, Vice President of Strategy and Customer Requirements, Advanced Development Programs for Lockheed Martin, let slip at a conference the unmanned aircraft has already been made. 
Speaking at The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics SciTech Forum, he showed a slide of a digital mockup of the craft, and said 'Without the digital transformation, the aircraft you see there could not have been made.'

Jack O¿Banion posted this image of a digital 'twin' of the craft, saying  'Without the digital transformation, the aircraft you see there could not have been made.'

Jack O’Banion posted this image of a digital 'twin' of the craft, saying  'Without the digital transformation, the aircraft you see there could not have been made.'
'In fact, five years ago, it could not have been made.'
O’Banion also said the aircraft will have a 'digital twin' that knows every part on the aircraft.
'Talking about speed, you're talking about hypersoncs, aircraft that operate above mach 5,' he added.
According to Aviation Week late last year, a technology demonstrator, believed to be an unmanned subscale aircraft, was observed flying into the U.S. Air Force's Plant 42 at Palmdale, where Skunk Works is headquartered, in July.  
The SR-72 hypersonic plane will be a strike and reconnaissance aircraft that tops Mach 6, and the firm has been working on the project since the early 2000s.
Lockheed Martin posted an artist's impression of the craft to its website, with the caption 'The Skunk Works hypersonic design ¿ an aircraft developed to execute Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and strike missions at speeds up to Mach 6.'
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Lockheed Martin posted an artist's impression of the craft to its website, with the caption 'The Skunk Works hypersonic design – an aircraft developed to execute Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and strike missions at speeds up to Mach 6.'
'Although I can't go into specifics, let us just say the Skunk Works team in Palmdale, California, is doubling down on our commitment to speed,' Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president of aeronautics at Lockheed Martin, told the SAE International Aerotech Congress and Exhibition.
'Simply put, I believe the United States is on the verge of a hypersonics revolution.' 
Hypersonic technologies, including a combined cycle propulsion system that blends a rocket engine and a supersonic jet engine, are now sufficiently advanced to allow the planned SR-72 project to begin, it is believed.
'We've been saying hypersonics is two years away for the last 20 years, but all I can say is the technology is mature and we, along with Darpa and the services, are working hard to get that capability into the hands of our warfighters as soon as possible,' Rob Weiss, Lockheed Martin's executive vice president and general manager for Advanced Development Programs, previously told Aviation Week.

THE RECORD BREAKING BLACKBIRD SR-71

The SR-71 was the world's fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft throughout its career.
On July 28 1976 it broke the world record for absolute altitude - reaching 85,069 feet.
  • That same day a different SR-71 set an absolute speed record of 2,193.2mph - a record it still holds today.
  •  
  • The plane was so fast that it could outrun surface-to-air missiles as it traveled close to the edge of space at about 85,000 feet, or about 16 miles above the earth. 
    • On July 28 1976 it broke the world record for absolute altitude - reaching 85,069 feet
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    On July 28 1976 it broke the world record for absolute altitude - reaching 85,069 feet
    If a surface-to-air missile launch was detected, the standard evasive action was simply to accelerate and outfly the missile.
    The plane flew so high above the Earth's surface that Joersz said there was no real sense of speed at all with the clouds so far below. 
    A total of 32 of the aircraft were built which flew from 1964 to 1999; 12 were lost in accidents, but none were shot down by enemies. 
    Lockheed's previous reconnaissance aircraft was the relatively slow U-2, designed for the CIA.
    The plane's titanium skin was capable of surviving temperatures up to 482C

    The plane's titanium skin was capable of surviving temperatures up to 482C
    In late 1957, the CIA approached the defense contractor Lockheed to build an undetectable spy plane and within ten months they had come up with the design for the Blackbird.
    Flying at 80,000 ft meant that crews could not use standard masks, which would not provide enough oxygen above 43,000 ft, so specialist protective pressurised suits were made. 
    The Blackbird takes flight from Edwards Air Force Base
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    The plane's titanium skin was capable of surviving temperatures up to 482C.'I can't give you any timelines or any specifics on the capabilities,' he said.
    'It is all very sensitive. 
    'Some of our adversaries are moving along these lines pretty quickly and it is important we stay quiet about what is going on. 
    'We can acknowledge the general capability that's out there, but any program specifics are off limits.'
    It is expected to be around the same size as an F-22 and powered by a full-scale, combined cycle engine.
    Envisioned as an unmanned aircraft, the SR-72 would fly at speeds up to Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound, Lockheed Martin has said previously.
    The image was revealed as part of a slide on how Lockheed Martin is using 'disruptive designs'

    The image was revealed as part of a slide on how Lockheed Martin is using 'disruptive designs'
    At this speed, the aircraft would be so fast, an adversary would have no time to react or hide.
    'Hypersonic aircraft, coupled with hypersonic missiles, could penetrate denied airspace and strike at nearly any location across a continent in less than an hour,' said Brad Leland, Lockheed Martin program manager, Hypersonics. 
    'Speed is the next aviation advancement to counter emerging threats in the next several decades. 
    'The technology would be a game-changer in theater, similar to how stealth is changing the battlespace today.'
    Marillyn Hewson said Lockheed's engineers are on the verge of making technology such as scramjet engineers, which have been talked about for years, a reality. This illustration shows the design for the SR-72's engine. The plane will also have a  'warm structure'  that will heat up during flight
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    Marillyn Hewson said Lockheed's engineers are on the verge of making technology such as scramjet engineers, which have been talked about for years, a reality. This illustration shows the design for the SR-72's engine. The plane will also have a  'warm structure'  that will heat up during flight
    Envisioned as an unmanned aircraft, the SR-72 would fly at speeds up to Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound, Lockheed Martin has said previously.
    Envisioned as an unmanned aircraft, the SR-72 would fly at speeds up to Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound, Lockheed Martin has said previously.
    Lockheed Martin posted an artist's impression of the craft to its website, with the caption 'The Skunk Works hypersonic design – an aircraft developed to execute Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and strike missions at speeds up to Mach 6.' 
    Lockheed Martin and Aerojet Rocketdyne have been working together since 2006 on work to integrate an off-the-shelf turbine with a scramjet to power an aircraft with a combined cycle propulsion system from standstill to Mach 6
    'The combined cycle work is still occurring and obviously a big breakthrough in the air-breathing side of hypersonics is the propulsion system,' Weiss revealed.
    'The technology of the 'air breather has been matured and work is continuing on those capabilities to demonstrate that they are ready to go and be fielded,' he adds. 
    It comes as Boeing has pledged to make hypersonic passengers planes a reality - and says they could be operating within a decade.
    'I think in the next decade or two you're going to see them become a reality,' Boeing Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg told CNBC at the Paris Air Show.
    However, he admitted the firm still has to prove there are enough people who could afford tickets to make it worthwhile.
    'I think in the next decade or two you're going to see them become a reality,' Boeing Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg told CNBC at the Paris Air Show.  He believes the firm's work on experimental craft such as the firm's work on the X-51 Waverider (pictured) would also prove invaluable.
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    'I think in the next decade or two you're going to see them become a reality,' Boeing Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg told CNBC at the Paris Air Show.  He believes the firm's work on experimental craft such as the firm's work on the X-51 Waverider (pictured) would also prove invaluable.
    'There is still work to do on closing the business case to make sense for our customers,' said Muilenburg, who said the firm's work on the X-51 Waverider would also prove invaluable. 
    'But we see future innovations where you could connect around the world in about two hours.'
    Hypersonic jets, flying at up to Mach 5, or 3,800 mph, could allow passengers to dramatically cut journey times.
    For example, a commercial flight from New York to Shanghai currently takes about 15 hours - but at hypersonic speeds, could take two.
    NASA recently said it is is seeking proposals for the development of its supersonic X-plane, with plans to begin work as early as next year.
    The Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) low-boom flight demonstrator aims to produce a much lower 'boom' than other supersonic aircraft, and NASA is hoping to see the first flight tests take place in 2021.
    Lockheed Martin has been working on the preliminary design, with hopes to move on to build the demonstrator, but NASA has now opened the door for other companies to submit their own designs as well.
    NASA reveals plans for supersonic passenger X-Plane
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    Boeing recently won a military contract to build a 'big bother' for the secretive X-37b spaceplane.
    Boeing declined to say how much it will put into development of the vehicle, which it calls Phantom Express, with DARPA, which is an agency under the U.S. Department of Defense.
    About the size of a business jet, Phantom Express will take off like a rocket, boost itself beyond the atmosphere and release an expendable second-stage rocket and satellite, then turn around and land like an airplane on a runway.
    The project, known as XS-1, is expected to debut in 2020, and military bosses claim it will 'bolster national security by providing short-notice, low-cost access to space.'
    NASA is backing plans to return to supersonic flight, with its Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) low-boom flight demonstrator aims to produce a much lower 'boom' than other supersonic aircraft, and NASA is hoping to see the first flight tests take place in 2021

    NASA is backing plans to return to supersonic flight, with its Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) low-boom flight demonstrator aims to produce a much lower 'boom' than other supersonic aircraft, and NASA is hoping to see the first flight tests take place in 2021





    First Russian 5th generation Su-57 fighter jets to be put in service ‘very soon’


    The Russian military is expected to receive the first batch of fifth generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets “very soon,” the corporation developing the plane said. The jet was known earlier as the PAK FA and T-50.
    “The newest 5th generation aviation complex T-50/PAK FA, for which we have high hopes and plans, will be delivered to the Russian Air Force very soon,” the Joint Aviation Corporation (OAK) said in a Facebook post.

    FILE PHOTO. © Evgeny Biyatov


    Earlier on Saturday, a source in the aviation industry told Interfax that the delivery of the first planes of the maiden batch is expected to take place in 2018. A similar estimated time of delivery was given earlier by then-Russian Air Force commander Colonel General Viktor Bondarev.
    The first nine machines are currently undergoing flight tests, according to the manufacturer. While the early jets were fitted with older “first-stage engines,” the Su-57 recently received a new engine, developed specifically for the fifth-generation fighters. The fighter, fitted with the new Product 30 engine, successfully performed its maiden flight on December 5. While little is known about the specifications, the OAK said last year it was an entirely new engine designed from scratch.
    The Su-57 jet fighter, designed to replace the iconic Sukhoi Su-27 in frontline tactical aviation, made its maiden flight in 2010. One plane has an estimated price tag of about $50 million.
    The new planes have already been featured in several exhibitions, including the MAKS 2017 airshow last July. A pair of the aircraft, known then as the T-50, stole the show, performing a variety of amazing stunts. The Su-57 designation was officially confirmed for the new plane last August.
    The aircraft features an entirely new planer, built largely from composite materials, modern radar and avionics. The new flight equipment allows the jet to exchange information in real time with other planes and ground command units, as well as perform individual missions, according to the OAK. The avionics provide a high level of automatization and “intellectual support” for the crew, helping pilots to focus on their tactical objectives.

    The Su-57, originally called the T-50, made its maiden flight in January 2010.


    The Su-57, originally called the T-50, made its maiden flight in January 2010.
    knaapo.ru

    Russian President Vladimir Putin himself even checked out the Su-57 after it first flew.


    Russian President Vladimir Putin himself even checked out the Su-57 after it first flew.
    Putin checking out the Su-57 after its maiden flight in 2010.Associated Press

    The most current Su-57 prototype is fitted with an Izdelie-30 engine, but it reportedly has been problematic and is slated to be tested near the end of 2017.


    The most current Su-57 prototype is fitted with an Izdelie-30 engine, but it reportedly has been problematic and is slated to be tested near the end of 2017.
    Associated Press
    The fighter also only needs about 1,100 feet of runway length to take off. 

    The Izdelie-30 engine, however, will reportedly provide the fighter with up to 70,000 pounds of thrust and a climbing rate of 70,000 feet per minute.


    The Izdelie-30 engine, however, will reportedly provide the fighter with up to 70,000 pounds of thrust and a climbing rate of 70,000 feet per minute.
    United Aircraft Corporation

    As well as a cruising speed of about 800 mph.


    As well as a cruising speed of about 800 mph.
    United Aircraft Corporation

    And a top speed of about 1,616 mph.


    And a top speed of about 1,616 mph.
    Dmitry Terekhov/Flickr
    The F-22, on the other hand, has a top speed of about 1,500 mph. 
    The Su-57 can also hit altitudes of about 65,000 feet, while the F-22 has a ceiling of about 50,000 feet. 

    The Su-57 holds a variety of bombs and missiles in its two large internal weapons bays.


    The Su-57 holds a variety of bombs and missiles in its two large internal weapons bays.
    Associated Press

    The graphic below shows all the missiles and bombs the Su-57 can hold.


    The graphic below shows all the missiles and bombs the Su-57 can hold.
    Anton Egorov
    Not included in the graphic, however, is the jet's two internally mounted 30mm cannons. 
    This graphic from Sputnik gives a good overview of the Su-57's capabilities.

    The Su-57 is also incredibly agile and maneuverable — some say more than the F-22 Raptor — and therefore can dodge missiles and put itself in strategic firing positions relatively easily.


    The Su-57 is also incredibly agile and maneuverable — some say more than the F-22 Raptor — and therefore can dodge missiles and put itself in strategic firing positions relatively easily.
    Associated Press
    The Su-57 is reportedly equipped with three-dimensional thrust vector jets, while the F-22 only has two-dimensional thrust vector jets.
    Some, however, are skeptical of the Su-57's agility.
    Watch the Su-57's maneuverability below:

    It's also equipped with an OLS-50M infrared and tracking system, which the Raptor doesn't have.


    It's also equipped with an OLS-50M infrared and tracking system, which the Raptor doesn't have.
    Associated Press

    The Su-57's stealth capabilities, however, have been questioned, and some analysts have even doubted that it's actually a fifth generation fighter.


    The Su-57's stealth capabilities, however, have been questioned, and some analysts have even doubted that it's actually a fifth generation fighter.
    United Aircraft Corporation
    While Russian media touts the Su-57 as an "aerial ghost," one scientist working on stealth aircraft for the US called it a "dirty aircraft," with many glaring flaws that would light up radars scanning for the plane.

    Moscow even recently announced that it's looking to turn the Su-57 into a sixth generation fighter, meaning it would at least have unmanned capabilities.


    Moscow even recently announced that it's looking to turn the Su-57 into a sixth generation fighter, meaning it would at least have unmanned capabilities.
    Associated Press
    The shot above shows the Su-57 flying below an Su-34 during the 2017 MAKS air show. 

    Ultimately, though, it's difficult to tell whether the Su-57 or F-22 would win in a dogfight.


    Ultimately, though, it's difficult to tell whether the Su-57 or F-22 would win in a dogfight.
    Associated Press
    The Su-57 is reportedly faster, but the F-22 is stealthier. The two fighters are also both extremely agile, but there is disagreement over which moves better.
    The F-22 is also reportedly more lethal than the Su-57 at long ranges, giving it the edge in the initial stages of the fight. However, the Su-57's agility and infrared and tracking system might give it the edge in close combat. 
    The main armament of the plane is concealed in internal bays to boost its aerodynamic capabilities and reduce radar cross section. The Su-57 can also carry munitions on external pylons. The jet’s armament includes a recently modernized 30mm internal autocannon and a range of modern guided missiles.
    First Russian 5th generation Su-57 fighter jets to be put in service ‘very soon’

    The US Navy said it is preparing to roll out a sea-based laser weapon capable of disabling small enemy vessels and shooting down surveillance drones.

    The laser system will be deployed in 2014, two years ahead of schedule, aboard the USS Ponce, an amphibious transport ship retrofitted as a waterborne staging base, the Navy said Monday.
    Chief of Naval Research Admiral Matthew Klunder said the cost of one blast of "directed energy" could be less than $1.
    "Compare that to the hundreds of thousands of dollars it costs to fire a missile, and you can begin to see the merits of this capability," he said in a US Navy statement.
    The Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Naval Sea Systems Command successfully tested high-energy lasers against a moving target ship and a remotely piloted drone.
    "The future is here," ONR official Peter Morrision said.
    "The solid-state laser is a big step forward to revolutionizing modern warfare with directed energy, just as gunpowder did in the era of knives and swords."
    The laser runs on electricity, so the weapon "can be fired as long as there is power," and is a lot safer than carrying explosives aboard ships.
    The Navy released a video of a laser test and posted it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmoldX1wKYQ&feature=youtu.be .
    The New York Times, which said the USS Ponce would deploy to the Gulf, noted the Pentagon had a "long history of grossly inflating" claims for experimental weapons.
    Navy officials had acknowledged that the prototype laser was not yet strong enough to bring down a jet fighter or a missile, although those remained the long-term targets, The Times reported.
    A March 14 report from the non-partisan Congressional Research Center said the new weapon was a potential game-changer in naval warfare.
    "Compared to existing ship self-defense systems, such as missiles and guns, lasers could provide Navy surface ships with a more cost effective means of countering certain surface, air, and ballistic missile targets," the report read.
    Equipping Navy ships with lasers "could lead to changes in naval tactics, ship design and procurement plans for ship-based weapons, bringing about a technological shift for the Navy - a ‘game changer' - comparable to the advent of shipboard missiles in the 1950s," it added.