{"id":1767097,"date":"2022-12-08T06:30:13","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T11:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1767097"},"modified":"2022-12-08T07:03:15","modified_gmt":"2022-12-08T12:03:15","slug":"sr-72-darkstar-the-top-gun-maverick-mach-10-plane-is-real","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sr-72-darkstar-the-top-gun-maverick-mach-10-plane-is-real\/","title":{"rendered":"SR-72 Darkstar \u2013 The Top Gun: Maverick \u201cMach 10\u201d Plane Is \u201cReal\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsr-72-darkstar-the-top-gun-maverick-mach-10-plane-is-real%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1767097&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/SR-72-3-e1663181153293.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span>More than 100,000 people at an air show in California were able to see the new mockup of the SR-72 Darkstar spy plane, which was featured in the blockbuster movie <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.19fortyfive.com\/2022\/09\/a-mach-10-mystery-is-the-sr-72-darkstar-from-top-gun-maverick-real\/\"><i><span>Top Gun: Maverick<\/span><\/i><\/a> (it hit Mach 10 in the movie)<span>. The Hollywood version of the Darkstar sat beside the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.19fortyfive.com\/2022\/12\/sr-71-blackbird-vs-sr-72-darkstar-what-are-the-differences\/\"><span>SR-71 Blackbird<\/span><\/a><span> in October at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/avairshow\/\"><span>Aerospace Valley Open House and Air Show<\/span><\/a><span> at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.edwards.af.mil\/\"><span>Edwards Air Force Base<\/span><\/a><span>, California. The SR-72 is known as the \u201cSon of Blackbird,\u201d so this was a generational public relations moment for the Darkstar program and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lockheedmartin.com\/en-us\/who-we-are\/business-areas\/aeronautics\/skunkworks.html\"><span>Lockheed Martin Skunk Works<\/span><\/a><span>.\u00a0<\/span>\n<\/p>\n[embedded content]\n<\/p>\n<p><b>Doubling down on speed<\/b>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>The SR-71 in its heyday was an ultra fast, high-flying machine, but the stealthy SR-72 might eventually reach speeds of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theaviationgeekclub.com\/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-sr-72-son-of-blackbird-from-its-conception-to-its-possible-cancellation\/\"><span>Mach-6<\/span><\/a><span>, nearly twice the velocity of the SR-71. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>The Darkstar will be unmanned and capable of gathering the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data expected from a spy plane, but it might also have <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/hypersonic-sr-72-darkstar-jettop-gun-maverick\"><span>ground strike features<\/span><\/a><span>. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>Mix that with hypersonic flight, and you have a noteworthy craft for the U.S. Air Force. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Lockheed has developed a <\/span><span>combined cycle dual-mode engine that has ramjet features<\/span><span>. Dual mode means that a turbine engine cycle provides thrust from takeoff to Mach-3, at which point the ramjet takes over to reach Mach-6. The idea is to outrun enemy warplanes and air defenses.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>Engineers from Skunk Works designed the version of the Darkstar that appeared in the film. While that was a fictional prop, rumor has it the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.19fortyfive.com\/2022\/12\/top-gun-look-at-hypersonic-darkstar\/\"><span>Chinese were interested<\/span><\/a><span> in getting a glimpse of the mockup before the movie was even released, because it seemed so real.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Skunk Works has been working on the SR-72 since 2013 and tested its engines in 2017. It may reach initial operational capability by 2030, with full service in the Air Force following a few years later. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>The unmanned bird is likely to be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thedebrief.org\/lockheeds-sr-72-spy-plane-may-be-autonomous-and-reach-mach-6\/\"><span>autonomous<\/span><\/a><span> and could see service as a hypersonic bomber while flying out ahead of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.19fortyfive.com\/2022\/12\/b-21-raider-unveiling-a-message-to-china-and-russia-you-bet-it-was\/\"><span>B-21 Raider<\/span><\/a><span> and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.19fortyfive.com\/2022\/12\/the-u-s-militarys-5-best-fighter-jets-ever-yes-the-f-35-is-on-the-list\/\"><span>F-35 Lightning II<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><b>High Hopes and Hollywood Dreams for the Darkstar<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>Hypersonic weapon technology should be mature by the time the Son of Blackbird is ready to fly regularly. It will need to be, because, traveling at Mach-6, the Darkstar will need to launch hypersonic weapons. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>There are additional challenges: Performing turns and opening bomb bay doors will be difficult and will require a significant amount of ingenuity from designers and engineers. The shape of the airplane will be interesting. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militaryfactory.com\/aircraft\/detail.php?aircraft_id=1135\"><span>Military Factory describes<\/span><\/a><span> concept art for the SR-72 as having \u201cunderslung twin air intakes, slim low-mounted delta wing assemblies, and a single vertical tail fin.\u201d<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>The SR-72 will not have a cockpit, and all avionics and controls will be inside the fuselage. The SR-71 could reach 85,000 feet, and the Son of Blackbird could fly even higher \u2013 perhaps even reaching <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41550-022-01606-1#:~:text=As%20one%20of%20the%20unique,of%20ultraviolet%20and%20cosmic%20radiation\"><span>near space altitudes<\/span><\/a><span>.\u00a0<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>While the Hollywood buzz is exciting for the SR-72 program, the Son of Blackbird still needs a lot of work, and a lot of funds. The hype could run into delays and cost overruns any year. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><span>The speed and altitude goals are ambitious, and the unmanned features will have to be integrated with manned airplanes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But the public interest in the Darkstar could translate into Congressional and Pentagon support for its development. A hit movie may influence reality.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><b><i>Expert Biography:<\/i><\/b><i><span> Serving as 1945\u2019s Defense and National Security Editor, Dr. <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/brenteastwood.com\/\"><i><span>Brent M. Eastwood<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>\u00a0is the author of <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Humans-Machines-Data-Future-Warfare\/dp\/B091F5SK19\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&#038;keywords=brent+m.+eastwood&#038;qid=1632871186&#038;s=books&#038;sr=1-1\"><i><span>Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BMEastwood\"><i><span>@BMEastwood<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Foreign Policy\/ International Relations.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More than 100,000 people at an air show in California were able to see the new mockup of the SR-72 Darkstar spy plane, which was featured in the blockbuster movie<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1767100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1767097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1767097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1767097"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1767097\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1767100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1767097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1767097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1767097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}