ReconRat Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 (edited) Sometimes I see stuff in the mil-spec news that is just not ordinary.Wired.com DangerRoom Mysteries Surround Afghanistan’s Stealth Drone By David Hambling December 4, 2009 | 10:51 am | Categories: Drones Earlier this year, blurry pictures were released by the French magazine Air & Cosmos of a previously unknown stealth drone taken at Kandahar in Afghanistan...Photo: Secret Défense Edited October 17, 2010 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrillo Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 hmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarvismb Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 more fear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4junkie Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 hmmindeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wht_scorpion Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 The navy uses drone planes.20miles off the shore of long island for targets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat0403 Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 looks like boeings prototype for their UCAV but a bit thicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted December 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 A similar RPV (Remote Piloted Vehicle) was used to snoop around in China back in the late 60s. Fifty years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kawi kid Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 possibly using it to take a gander at some of the nuke plants in iran. imo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timotheus Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 the israelis will need intel when they attack irans nuke facilities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4DAIVI PAI2K5 Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 they had that plane on a show i was watching the other day, on the military channel i think. its a newer type of predator like drone from northrop grumman based off the b2 i beleive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted December 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 UPDATE: Well whadya know. The Air Force has confirmed the Beast’s existence to Aviation Week. Officially, it’s an RQ-170 Sentinel, developed by Lockheed and flown by the flown by the 30th Reconnaissance Squadron at Tonopah Test Range, Nev.Aviation WeekUSAF Confirms Stealthy UAV OperationsDec 4, 2009 David A. Fulghum davef@aviationweek.comBill Sweetman william_sweetman@aviationweek.comThe U.S. Air Force has confirmed to Aviation Week the existence of the so-called "Beast of Kandahar" UAV, a stealth-like remotely piloted jet seen flying out of Afghanistan in late 2007. The RQ-170 Sentinel, believed to be a tailless flying wing design with sensor pods faired into the upper surface of each wing, was developed by Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs (ADP), better known as Skunk Works. An Air Force official revealed Dec. 4 that the service is "developing a stealthy unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to provide reconnaissance and surveillance support to forward deployed combat forces." The UAV had been discussed on the Ares technology blog, as well as elsewhere online, but the USAF statement to Aviation Week was the first to detail the aircraft. "The fielding of the RQ-170 aligns with Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates' request for increased intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) support to the combatant commanders and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz's vision for an increased USAF reliance on unmanned aircraft," says the emailed statement. The RQ-170 is flown by the 30th Reconnaissance Squadron at Tonopah Test Range, Nev. - home of the F-117 stealth fighter when the program's existence was secret - and falls under Air Combat Command's 432d Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. At Kandahar, the Sentinel was seen operating out of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' hangar. The 30th RS was activated as part of the 57th Operations Group on Sept. 1, 2005, and a squadron patch was approved July 17, 2007. The activation - although not the full meaning of the event - was noted among those who watch for signs of activity in the classified world. The RQ-170 designation is similar to that of the F-117 - a correct prefix, but out of sequence to avoid obvious guesses of a program's existence. Technically, the RQ designation denotes an unarmed aircraft rather than the MQ prefix applied to the armed Predator and Reaper UAVs. The USAF phrase, "Support to forward deployed combat forces," when combined with observed details, suggest a moderate degree of stealth (including a blunt leading edge, simple nozzle and overwing sensor pods) and that the Sentinel is a tactical, operations-oriented platform and not a strategic intelligence-gathering design. Many questions remain about the aircraft's use. If it is a high-altitude aircraft it is painted an unusual color - medium grey overall, like Predator or Reaper, rather then the dark gray or overall black that provides the best concealment at very high altitudes. The wingspan appears to be about 65-ft., about the same as an MQ-9 Reaper. With only a few Internet images to judge from - all taken from the left side - the impression is of a deep, fat centerbody blended into the outer wings. With its low-observable design, the aircraft might be useful for flying the borders of Iran and peering into China, India and Pakistan for useful data about missile tests, telemetry as well as gathering signals and multi-spectral intelligence. Read the Ares post on the Sentinel. Photo: Air & Cosmos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4DAIVI PAI2K5 Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 damn i coulda swore they said it was northrup. i = fails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted December 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 (edited) damn i coulda swore they said it was northrup. i = failsNot really, we could probably find one or more from Northrup and even Boeing that look just like it.Northrup RPV for US Navy unmanned shipboard attack fighter program: Edited December 6, 2009 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4DAIVI PAI2K5 Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 thats the one i was talking about! it looks pretty close to the first ones shown too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagr Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Thats AWESOME. So now we are using SKYNET to kill the cave dwellers. The end is extremely fucking nigh!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DangBruhY Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Don't they have one at the Air Force Museum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted December 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 (edited) Don't they have one at the Air Force Museum?There's several RPVs there at the Air Force Museum.There isn't anything real current listed as being there, but I thought I saw one last time I went there.If there is a newer one there, it isn't on their list. Boeing Bird of Prey Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk General Atomics RQ-1 Predatoredit: Yeah I did see one. Here it is... Boeing X-45A J-UCAS Edited December 6, 2009 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DangBruhY Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 I need to find out what all is new at the museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Terrorizing terrorists: be afraid. be VERY afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted December 7, 2009 Report Share Posted December 7, 2009 Want!That would be a kick ass Christmas present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.