And now...the SR-72

[RAMA]

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.

Skylon has an advanced propulsion system (or will have) but the SR-72 has a totally different purpose, and needs to be able to deliver weapons on target.

Certainly there are already planes that have gone faster than the SR-72 might, but none in the same job.

I understand the reasons why the want this plane, but I still feel we have the assets to do the job now(minus the attack profile it would have). We are going to have to look at reduciung the over-inflated defense budget at some point...most likely before this plane would ever enter service.

 

[RAMA]

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"?

Obviously the plane doesnt exist yet, however Lockheed has a good record at getting these projects off the ground and funded.

 

[publiusr]

Model of it already on the way...
http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=22118

 

[Brolan]

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.

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...

This aircraft would have been pitched secretly to the Air Force and had it been accepted, we would not be hearing about it now. It must cost too much and they are trying to get members of Congress to fund it.