It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

New Black Projects

page: 1
4
<<   2 >>

log in

join
share:

posted on Sep, 11 2008 @ 12:35 AM
link   
This board has been pretty dead over the last couple of years. Is there no new information on current black projects? Has our government become masters of secrecy? There has to be some info out there on current black aircraft. Something has to have slipped. There hasn't been any good black aircraft stories since Aurora. Is there anything?



posted on Sep, 11 2008 @ 01:54 AM
link   
reply to post by Djdoubt03
 


Actually the Black Projects system has fallen victim to Standardization
and Outsourcing. The majority of components (for say in an aircraft)
are built assembly-line style in whole packages that are literally snapped
together like Lego Blocks...Avionics, Wing Assemblies, Engines,
Landing Gear all come from sub-contractors who many times
DO NOT even know they are building parts of secret aircraft since
the parts are fairly standardized and many replicate commercial variants
closely enough that the manufacturer and their employees don't bat
an eye thinking their sub-assembly is nothing but parts
for white-world projects.

It's only at the final assembly plant at Phantomworks, Skunkworks,
and Northrup, etc. that the final craft takes shape...AND...because
of automation and heavy computerization it is VERY EASY to TRACK
what and WHO comes in and out of every part of the plant so security
leaks are PLUGGED TIGHT at the first sign of trouble simply by
entering an Invalidation Code to strip a worker from entering
compartmented access areas or to use RFID labelling systems
and coded/locked electronic documents to track and find out
who told who what information, where, when and how!

The likely leaks are in the field testing phase and active but
covert operational deployment phase and there's really not that
much interesting stuff out there right now.

The one problem is that MOST OF THE CURRENT BIG PROJECTS are
in the UAV and SPACE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS realm which isn't
as glamorous as the Aurora/Manta/Sport Model/Scorpion air & spacecraft
we like so much ergo...there just ISN'T as much interest
as there was 10 years ago.

The F-117 replacement is now operational and although still covert
doesn't really offer that much of an improvement other than
more payload and better survivability and electronic counter-measures
so it's not really that interesting of an aircraft to hunt down for the
Black Aircraft searchers.

The Air Force Spacestation is basically a school bus-sized
observation tower so that's not particularly interesting anymore.

The stealth-skinned Air Cargo Heavy Lifter is going go Whiteworld
soon so that's not a big issue either.

The only really BIG project I can think of right now that would
be worth hunting for is the Scorpion (not it's real codename)
Inertial Propulsion craft and even THAT now has a whiteworld
counterpart...so NOPE not as much GOOD STUFF is out there
that's anything but a generic, stealth UAV or plain-jane
space-based Tungsten Arrow Kinetic Energy weapon.

NOPE there's just no more good secrets out there....

Although I might know of a cousin, third-removed, who tested
a lightning-like, backpack-based energy discharge weapon
in coastal Northern California...or was that Coastal Oregon/Washington?
a few years back....hmmm...I'll have to dig into my records on that one!

Nothin to See Here! Move Along!



posted on Sep, 11 2008 @ 12:00 PM
link   

Originally posted by StargateSG7
reply to post by Djdoubt03
The F-117 replacement is now operational and although still covert
doesn't really offer that much of an improvement other than
more payload and better survivability and electronic counter-measures
so it's not really that interesting of an aircraft to hunt down for the
Black Aircraft searchers.


I thought the Raptor was the F-117 replacement.



posted on Sep, 11 2008 @ 12:16 PM
link   
Project Minotaur......

Check out Trevor Paglen's book....

www.amazon.com...=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4060081-6535146?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187072959&sr=8-1



posted on Sep, 11 2008 @ 12:52 PM
link   
There seems to be a lot of spending going on and work being done in stealth CUAVs being done now and a lot less on any manned planes. I think remote controlled craft with a growing level of autonomous features are taking over the whole spy plane world.

They are planning for 51 Global Hawks, that will produce far more intelligence and have a much longer dwell time over a target than any manned system.

For stealthy delivery of ordinance they have developed craft like the Grumman X-47B (R) J-UCAS which can be delivered from an aircraft carrier. Those carry the GBU-31 and have a 9 hour flight duration so they can put those JDAMs on target and get out without potential loss of a pilot.

I see the black budget mostly going to the combat unmanned aircraft for the foreseeable future.

[edit on 9/11/2008 by UFOTECH]



posted on Sep, 11 2008 @ 02:40 PM
link   
reply to post by Djdoubt03
 


I thought the Raptor was the F-117 replacement.

====
One thing you have to admit is that the U.S. defence industry
CAN KEEP SECRETS !!!!

Technically, the F22 Raptor and F35 Lightning are SUPPOSED
to be the white-world replacement of the F117 Nighthawk...

HOWEVER a larger, more triangular version of the F117
which has rounded upper engine nacelles and a cockpit
bulge VERY MUCH LIKE the B2 Spirit Bomber and is currently
in deployment as a formidable strike/recon craft that has
extensive electronic counter measures and much better
ground-hugging, radar evading stick-to-the-ground,
semi-autonomous flight capabilities.

My somewhat "informed" sources indicate flight testing has been
done near Puerto Rico, England of of course Utah/Nevada
and this craft is ONE POSSIBLE cause for the much
bandied-about name of TR3a Manta

It's current operational name is unknown, but I've also heard
names such as AX-17, Wolverine, Double-V, etc.

There seems to be two versions of the Manta, one is a simple
Delta/triangle shape and the other is with V shaped wings
(that look like a Manta Ray) and no tail and also a long thin
spine bulge on the topside surface

These may be two configurations of the same craft
(i.e. One for Navy the other an Air Force version)
or two different projects all-together.

Otherwise I don't have too much info on other projects....
====



posted on Sep, 11 2008 @ 04:44 PM
link   
Two other possible "Black" aerospace projects are the "interim bomber" and the hypersonic strike/recon platform.

Next Generation/Interim Bomber: The USAF told us early on that this would start out as a black project, now Northrop Grumman is showing huge profits in a section of their stockholder's report called "Black Projects".

Best guess is that this looks similar to the X-47 UCAV but is manned and has either a high subsonic or low supersonic cruising speed.

SR-72? Blackswift: A spinoff of the hypersonic FALCON program using hybrid turbojet/ramjet propulsion concepts from the RATTLRS program.

Accomodations for the Blackswift are supposedly being prepared at Groom Lake/Area 51 in the form of a new and very large hangar and a tall earthberm in front of the entrance to keep prying eyes on distant mouintain tops from seeing what beast is caged there.

Target cruising speed for the unmanned Blackswift is Mach 6, it will be used for both recon and strike.





[edit on 9-11-2008 by intelgurl]



posted on Sep, 11 2008 @ 06:54 PM
link   
This reminds me of my thread here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Something I believe is the reason that we don't know of more black projects overall is because like generations, only so many projects in the black world get rolled out at a time. So while we're only hearing about the F-22 and F-35 in light now, we're only aware of the black projects we have now that are behind the scenes. SR-72, and B-3 included.



posted on Sep, 13 2008 @ 07:27 AM
link   
F-22 and F35 have been white from the start, IIRC.



posted on Sep, 13 2008 @ 09:01 AM
link   
There are no black projects any more the cold war is over and the cost can't be justified. The F22 is the best we have but it is still miles ahead of anyone else and it will also get the best upgrades we can give it when they become available.

There are still experimental programs but they are not black more a shade of grey although maybe the cold war is starting to come back so maybe the black project isn't completely dead.

I doubt we will ever see anything that will surprise the world as much as the F117 did though when it was revealed.



posted on Sep, 14 2008 @ 04:40 AM
link   
I think we will see the most money being spent to produce a skynet of stealth combat UAVs flying a constant air cap over all of our forward military assets.




These will be interconnected with high speed Terrahertz frequency optical laser connections. allowing for broad band stealth relay of high density optical and other sensor data. This combined with their attack capability and increasing time on target performance and increasing stealth performance this is the path the US will most likely take to spread the net and have a stealthy robot air cap.

These do not have to be delivered by conventional carriers either. They could use specially designed wave piercing micro carriers to transport them quickly and comfortably in all wave conditions to their release and recovery points.




There are some tail sitter UAV designs that could stack very efficiently in a very small stealthy wave piercing power cat. These would make great high speed high endurance UAV Micro Carriers.

This is where I see the future going for rapid forward positioning of large stealthy robot combat UAVs.


[edit on 9/14/2008 by UFOTECH]



posted on Sep, 14 2008 @ 08:08 PM
link   

Originally posted by Shamanator
There are no black projects any more the cold war is over and the cost can't be justified.


I can't agree with this. Why wouldn't the US keep black projects? Even if they just end up being technology demonstrators the fact that they have x type of technology is inherently secret and important to keep as such.





PS, thanks to the mod



posted on Sep, 15 2008 @ 02:34 PM
link   

Originally posted by Shamanator
There are no black projects any more the cold war is over and the cost can't be justified. The F22 is the best we have but it is still miles ahead of anyone else and it will also get the best upgrades we can give it when they become available.

I have to disagree with you on this as well.
Cold War or not there are technologies and platforms which are SAP's, (Special Access Projects) these are "Black" projects by definition.


Originally posted by Shamanator
I doubt we will ever see anything that will surprise the world as much as the F117 did though when it was revealed.

I think your assessment is a bit naive; hypersonic rcce & strike and all aspect low observability, including visual stealth characteristics are just a couple of the many technologies that are easily at TRL 5-7 right now, in some obscure SAPs.

Sure, you shouldn't be gullible and embrace everything you hear regarding Black projects - but come'on, Even Northrop Grumman put down a major profit in their 1st quarter 2008 financial statement under line item "Black Projects". This is supposedly the Next Gen Bomber, aka the B-3, and General Mosely told us that the NGB would start out in the black, he just didn't say when or with whom.


[edit on 9-15-2008 by intelgurl]



posted on Sep, 15 2008 @ 11:04 PM
link   
Sorry, TRL 5-7?



.........



posted on Sep, 16 2008 @ 02:04 AM
link   
Technology Readiness Level.

She means you'd have working (if imperfect) airframes and/or systems in demo/eval.

[edit on 16-9-2008 by _Del_]



posted on Nov, 9 2008 @ 11:06 AM
link   
reply to post by StargateSG7
 
My somewhat "informed" sources indicate flight testing has been
done near Puerto Rico, England of of course Utah/Nevada
and this craft is ONE POSSIBLE cause for the much
bandied-about name of TR3a Manta


Puerto Rico.......where in Puerto Rico....Ramey old airforce base?



posted on Nov, 9 2008 @ 07:40 PM
link   
Saw this posted by anon in the DARPA ATSD Thread.
DISTANT EYE PROGRAM


Probably a UAV since L-3 does most of the Comm links for UAVs. From the name I would assume it's high altitude recon....but that's just a guess.

Anyone have any ideas?



[edit on 9-11-2008 by satcom]



posted on Nov, 9 2008 @ 11:31 PM
link   

Originally posted by Anonymous ATS
reply to post by StargateSG7
 

Puerto Rico.......where in Puerto Rico....Ramey old airforce base?


I would think that Roosevelt Roads would be most likely due to proximity to water and established security. During a brief deployment to PR I occasionally saw U2's and routinely saw US Army MH-60s (part of TF 160 is or was permanently based there).



posted on Nov, 10 2008 @ 12:14 PM
link   
I'm wondering myself too what is happening inside area 51 at the time.. If you look at history there was at least one project every decade in there. But now there hasn't been any bigger project declassified for almost 2 decades (since b-2). Of course there were some reconnaissance UAVs but area 51 is estimated to have the capacity of around 1000 people and another 1000 arriving there every day. Are 2000 people working on some pretty simple UAVs? I don't think so.
I believe the Aurora is dead. It was a program in late 1980s and early 1990s with those famous sonic booms, but then the cold war ended and so did the need for such aircraft. What were the phoenix lights? Does the TR-3A exist? (I think more plausible than Aurora.) Any fast response special force infiltration plane, which would be needed for today's threats? That are the questions.

Answers appreciated...



posted on Nov, 11 2008 @ 09:33 PM
link   
Another program is RAPID EYE I think a pretty cool idea. It's up on DARPA's website under the TTO

Not to be confused with Distant Eye




The Pentagon is on the hunt for new sophisticated unmanned spy planes that can be sent to any location above the planet within an hour and remain over the hot spot gathering intelligence for at least five years without touching down



So while it's not really black....yet...I'm sure it will be classified.


Next up we have SENSOR CRAFT Basically it's a flying antenna.....yet so much more


Now onto CAV or Common Aero Vehicle

Pretty much a space plane.... or is it ?

And one more for fun, FAST or Future Responsive Access to Space Technology So basically the Air Force wants to have quick access to space to deploy stuff in space.......


Ok I lied...here's the last one. UNMANNED AWACS more info here


Thats all I have for now, happy researching.






[edit on 11-11-2008 by satcom]




top topics



 
4
<<   2 >>

log in

join