Northrop Grumman now has five B-21 stealth bombers in production
The program is making good progress, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said Monday.
Skunk Works' Helendale Radar Signature Test Range Is Where Stealth Dreams Become Reality
Some of the biggest leaps in modern combat aircraft design have been made with the help of these facilities, many of which remain classified.
www.thedrive.com
I mean that object on truck. Is rhat new gen6 fighter /NGA or their new glide vehicle?Skunk Works' Helendale Radar Signature Test Range Is Where Stealth Dreams Become Reality
Some of the biggest leaps in modern combat aircraft design have been made with the help of these facilities, many of which remain classified.
Obviously none of us have any clue, but the speculation skews towards a radar test model for the USAF's NGAD program (not to be confused with the Navy's NGAD, which is a different program). I'm not inclined to believe the speculation though, it's probably just one of many test articles.
It's being moved uncovered in broad daylight and someone was allowed near it with a camera in their possession, after years of working for a defence company, I can tell you whatever it is isn't highly classified, even if it's not been seen before. The facility it's located at, Lockheed's Helendale radar cross-section measurement range, has underground hangers and storage where classified programs are lowered underground on hydraulic lifts during daylight, and are typically only moved covered up and at night. If it needed to stay hidden it would have.
It wasn't being treated in a manner consistent with highly classified programs, especially considering we're talking about a country that takes military security more seriously then anyone else, but it's still likely connected to future fighter or UAV programs, just not anywhere near a final model.
I wouldn't get too excited, it's likely nothing special.
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Exactly. When the US wants to make a point/send a message to "enemies" they fly their black project aircraft in broad daylight in perfect weather at con altitude for all to see.Obviously none of us have any clue, but the speculation skews towards a radar test model for the USAF's NGAD program (not to be confused with the Navy's NGAD, which is a different program). I'm not inclined to believe the speculation though, it's probably just one of many test articles.
It's being moved uncovered in broad daylight and someone was allowed near it with a camera in their possession, after years of working for a defence company, I can tell you whatever it is isn't highly classified, even if it's not been seen before. The facility it's located at, Lockheed's Helendale radar cross-section measurement range, has underground hangers and storage where classified programs are lowered underground on hydraulic lifts during daylight, and are typically only moved covered up and at night. If it needed to stay hidden it would have.
It wasn't being treated in a manner consistent with highly classified programs, especially considering we're talking about a country that takes military security more seriously then anyone else, but it's still likely connected to future fighter or UAV programs, just not anywhere near a final model.
I wouldn't get too excited, it's likely nothing special.
Classified is not the same as black budget programs and in 2014 it was leaked that DOD black budget was $60billion.
President Obama proposed a $495.6 billion defense budget yesterday, almost half a billion dollars leaner than the previous year’s. But there’s still one category where the Department of Defense is not scaling back: its secret projects.
According to the budget documents, the DoD plans to spend around $58.7 billion on classified programs (fondly known as its “black budget”) in fiscal year 2015, a 1.5 percent increase from the previous year.
www.thedailybeast.com
I think it's likely at $100 billion right now with a lot of it going here...
Or this could be the so-called "distraction base" where everyone focuses on.
President Obama proposed a $495.6 billion defense budget yesterday, almost half a billion dollars leaner than the previous year’s. But there’s still one category where the Department of Defense is not scaling back: its secret projects.
According to the budget documents, the DoD plans to spend around $58.7 billion on classified programs (fondly known as its “black budget”) in fiscal year 2015, a 1.5 percent increase from the previous year.
Read the Pentagon’s $59 Billion ‘Black Budget’
The U.S. military has billions of dollars’ worth of secret projects it doesn’t want you to know about. Too bad—here they are.
I think it's likely at $100 billion right now with a lot of it going here...
Or this could be the so-called "distraction base" where everyone focuses on.
It's Official: Canada's CF-18 Hornet Fighters Are Set To Get New Advanced Radars
AN/APG-79(V)4 radars are part of a badly needed upgrade package for Canada's legacy Hornets as the country continues to struggle to buy new fighters.
www.thedrive.com
After upgrading their own Hornets, the US is now offering GaN radars for export.
Air Force Chief Anticipates ‘Something Special’ for B-21 Public Debut
The Raider is still on schedule to make its first test flight with the next year, Air Force chief says.
www.defenseone.com
The last picture is just the RCS pole cap.Obviously none of us have any clue, but the speculation skews towards a radar test model for the USAF's NGAD program (not to be confused with the Navy's NGAD, which is a different program). I'm not inclined to believe the speculation though, it's probably just one of many test articles.
It's being moved uncovered in broad daylight and someone was allowed near it with a camera in their possession, after years of working for a defence company, I can tell you whatever it is isn't highly classified, even if it's not been seen before. The facility it's located at, Lockheed's Helendale radar cross-section measurement range, has underground hangers and storage where classified programs are lowered underground on hydraulic lifts during daylight, and are typically only moved covered up and at night. If it needed to stay hidden it would have.
It wasn't being treated in a manner consistent with highly classified programs, especially considering we're talking about a country that takes military security more seriously then anyone else, but it's still likely connected to future fighter or UAV programs, just not anywhere near a final model.
I wouldn't get too excited, it's likely nothing special.
Eglin test squadron releases GBU-72 for first time
Test series included the first-ever weapons load, flight and release of the weapon July 23. Also included Eglin’s largest-ever arena test, surpassing the previous titleholder by more than double.
www.eglin.af.mil