And now...the SR-72

Discussion in 'Science and Technology' started by RAMA, Nov 2, 2013.

  1. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

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    http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/11/lockheed-martin-sr-72/

    http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_11_01_2013_p0-632731.xml&p=1

    Cool plane...mach 6 speed, the successor to the SR-71, butis it really necessary at this point? The AIr Force says this:
     
  2. CorporalCaptain

    CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The article says Lockheed might have a demonstrator model working in ten years. It also said it might enter service in 2030. The plane doesn't exist yet, and won't for over ten years, if ever.
     
  3. Herkimer Jitty

    Herkimer Jitty Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Judging by what they've unveiled, isn't this basically Lockheed saying "Wouldn't it be cool if we could build this, wink wink Congress"?
     
  4. Taylirious

    Taylirious Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I like it. :bolian:
     
  5. FPAlpha

    FPAlpha Vice Admiral Premium Member

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    Looks appropriately futuristic and fast but nothing can beat the Blackbird when it comes to sheer coolness.
     
  6. gturner

    gturner Admiral

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    The comments on the Wired article are pretty brutal, and I would echo some of them, such as this being just a pitch to the Air Force. It's probably not as advanced as the Mach 5 Skylon/Sabre/Scimitar concepts the British are rendering. The real breakthrough will come when someone renders a plane cruising at Mach 8.
     
  7. scotpens

    scotpens Professional Geek Premium Member

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    I'm just waiting for the model kit to come out so our friend John Payne (aka Forbin) can kitbash it into a Star Trek shuttle.
     
  8. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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  9. Crazy Eddie

    Crazy Eddie Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Much like about 90% of Lockheed's press releases.:rolleyes:
     
  10. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Admiral Admiral

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    It's kind of ugly. Also, this:

     
  11. Owain Taggart

    Owain Taggart Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah, the SR-71 is one sexy ship. It's nice when you can see it in person and appreciate just how massive and sleek the thing is.
     
  12. Nob Akimoto

    Nob Akimoto Captain Captain

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    So...a company that can't even bring the JSF in at a reasonable budget and on time is promising to give us a hypersonic aircraft demonstrator by 2023 and a flyable aircraft by 2030? I mean, yes, Congress critters are dumb, and Tea Party critters are particularly so but I don't think they're THAT dumb.
     
  13. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    Just around the bend.
  14. Tiberius

    Tiberius Commodore Commodore

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    The military budget of the USA is beyond ridiculous.
     
  15. Crazy Eddie

    Crazy Eddie Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Why do you hate freedom?:rofl:
     
  16. Tiberius

    Tiberius Commodore Commodore

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    Smart arse lol

    I heard once that the military spending of the USA is equal to the combined military spending for the next three highest spending countries (could be wrong though). Seriously, what do they need all that for? It's like they have a cannon to kill a fly, but they always want a bigger cannon anyway. What is it with the USA's obsession with guns?
     
  17. Herkimer Jitty

    Herkimer Jitty Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Because war. War never changes.
     
  18. Ensign_Redshirt

    Ensign_Redshirt Commodore Commodore

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    Actually, the US military budget is equal to the military spending of the next eleven highest spending countries (China, Russia, UK, Japan, France, Saudia Arabia, India, Germany, Italy, Brazil, and South Korea), contributing 39% of the total global military expenditure:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures

    The US military budget has almost three times the size of China's and Russia's military budget combined. (Which is why the U.S. has ten aircraft carriers, while China and Russia each have a single one).
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2013
  19. GalaxyX

    GalaxyX Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    That picture reminds me of the Dauntless from Voyager.
     
  20. JustAFriend

    JustAFriend Commodore Commodore

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    Which really means the SkunkWorks probably has the plane under construction and nearly ready to fly. They never confirm the existence of aircraft until they are either in service or nearly obsolete...