UAV hunt outsourcing

So for a little while now I've been hunting an unknown UAV (with very little luck). However, due to time constraints, and limited net access I'm having to stop the hunt on my end. I'm looking for some folks that might be interested to help the search with me.

The UAV in question was flying around the time that the RQ-170 was discovered. In 2007, the "Beast of Kandahar" was spotted flying around the area. Reports included U-2 pilots stating that they saw a UAV flying near their own altitude, with no warning from the E-3 controlling the airspace. Which is interesting, because there's no evidence that the RQ-170 is high altitude capable.

There were several companies designing UAVs that would involve using some engines that NASA has in storage. As near as I have found, those were shipped to Moffat Field several years ago.

So, who is up for the latest snipe hunt?

reply to post by Zaphod58


Are you referring to "Moffett Field" in Mountain View CA?

reply to post by InverseLookingGlass


The Ames Research Center at Moffet, yes. (I can never remember how to spell that damn field name).

seems to me that it is a drone from some supra agency if our pilots have seen but cannot identify them....perhaps the shadow government has them...but not our boys in blue....
Still they would need "pilots" and the human angle is the weakest link betimes.....

reply to post by stirling


It could, and probably is a USAF program, just one that isn't known by anyone outside the program. It could also be a joint USAF/CIA program like the RQ-170.

Zaphod58
So for a little while now I've been hunting an unknown UAV (with very little luck). However, due to time constraints, and limited net access I'm having to stop the hunt on my end. I'm looking for some folks that might be interested to help the search with me.

The UAV in question was flying around the time that the RQ-170 was discovered. In 2007, the "Beast of Kandahar" was spotted flying around the area. Reports included U-2 pilots stating that they saw a UAV flying near their own altitude, with no warning from the E-3 controlling the airspace. Which is interesting, because there's no evidence that the RQ-170 is high altitude capable.

There were several companies designing UAVs that would involve using some engines that NASA has in storage. As near as I have found, those were shipped to Moffat Field several years ago.

So, who is up for the latest snipe hunt?

Zaphod! This should have been ask to Bill Yenne. Not the YF-24. You had one question.
Sheesh at altitude with a U-2...

reply to post by Bigburgh


No, you're allowed to ask more than one, you just can't ask 8 or 10, or tie the thread up by yourself.

I may ask him later, but half the fun of this is doing the hunt yourself.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Lol...uav hunting sounds good...so far I got pages times pages..but mostly of it being obtained by Iran..
S&f

reply to post by Zaphod58


The aircraft you are looking for was designed by Northrop. It was tested around 2005. It is a twin engine high altitude unmanned system with a ceiling around 100,000 feet. Its wingspan is also around 140 feet. Put it this way, Lockheed knew about it way back then. Its been around for a long time. Good luck but I take it you already know what it is.

reply to post by no1b4me


This is one that has eluded me. I know a few small details about it, but I haven't been able to find very much about it at all.

Is there an open source where we can read the report of the U2 pilots?

If we could find info about the U2 missions, we could maybe find out a little about the mystery craft's flight envelope/characteristics and its intended mission if it were in the same geographical location as the U2's.

RQ180?

reply to post by Sammamishman


I don't believe it's the RQ-180.

I'll try to find the sources, they were all open at the time, but there wasn't a lot about them. It was talking about the Beast of Kandahar, and just mentioned in passing that U-2 pilots had seen something they weren't warned about. If I can find them I'll post them.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I agree that it would be doubtful that the RQ170 could reach U2 operating altitude. If the U2's were climbing/descending maybe.
Do you think it's an ISR bird or maybe a different intended mission? It kind of seams like overkill for the RQ170, U2's and this UAS to be all operating in the same theater with the same mission unless the mystery UAS had a strike capability or was tasked as an EW bird?

Link

Could this be what you're looking for?

reply to post by Sammamishman


I suspect it has a strike capability.

reply to post by Laxpla


No but I wondered why the blogs were down all day. Wonder if that is what I've been seeing over Wyoming.