Attention Aero and Aviation buffs. Can you identify this?

Being an Air Force brat, I sorta take pride in keeping up with our different types of aircraft but this one has me stumped.

I'll see this rig 2-3 times a year always heading east, never west, on Hwy 70 between Ruidoso and Roswell New Mexico. Holloman AFB and White Sands Missle Range are just due west of here.

To me it looks like some sort of high altitude release pod. Note the twin jet ports. The other ones I've seen seemed to have a distinct nose on them but maybe not since all I was able to get was a quick glimpse traveling in the opposite direction.

Can one of you all figure this out and let me know?

media.abovetopsecret.com...&action=view&id=31513

media.abovetopsecret.com...&action=view&id=31510

media.abovetopsecret.com...&action=view&id=31507

Project Aurora?

Perhaps?

Looks like an F18 but Im not sure.

Wow that is real cool,I am going to look around, i lived next to hill afb for a long time never seen that. At least i can not remember. By the way get your windshield fixed man

It's on a standard 48 foot flatbed and does travel with escorts. No military plates and the tractor hauling it was CRS Trucking out of Alabama.


Edit-about my windshield-
I'm in New Mexico! We barely have paved roads here!

[edit on 16-7-2009 by geo1066]

reply to post by Vendric


Could be an f-18, hard to tell with the tarps on it what the shape of the underbelly looks like.


Edited to add the pic

[edit on 16/7/09 by elarmstrongo]

IMHO it looks like the engines and fuselage of an F-18 with a the cockpit of an F-117 nighthawk. Also, it's missing it's wings

Looks like the main fuselage of an F/18-E to me.

Two engines, twin vertical stabilizers and the angles appear to be right.

If you look at the top of the vertical stabilizers you can see the covering sits out a bit farther, which matches up to the extensions at the top of the F/18E stabilizers.




Source:
www.xs4all.nl...

[edit on 16-7-2009 by stealthyone]

the tail section looks a lot like an F/A-18, not 100% sure though

It could be Thrust 3,(1,000 mph)except for the rear wings which could have been added by now.Does look as though it is a wheeled craft.

I reckon it looks like a f-22 from the sharp lines leading around to th cockpit i reckon....

That's an interesting one... The tail kind of resembles a Hornet, but that's about where the resemblance ends.

I was sort of thinking Tacit Blue, but the Have Blue mockup looks a bit closer to me...

sitelife.aviationweek.com...

Perhaps a variant on that program? I would say unmanned for sure though.

Also, remember that the tarp could also disguise the actual shape of the item underneath... Think how Detroit always hides their new bodywork under louvres and tarps in road test spy pics...

Good find! I'm sure some DARPA guy out there reading this is kind of peeved...

Update,

Here are two F/18 assembly line photos, looks just about identical to what you have pictured, and the size appears right.







Edited to add second picture..

[edit on 16-7-2009 by stealthyone]

[edit on 16-7-2009 by stealthyone]

I have no idea.


Possibly call CRS trucking and see if they have any information.

dot: 881919
name: CRS TRUCKING LLC
address: 87 COUNTY ROAD 549
HANCEVILLE, AL 35077
phone: (256) 352-1948
fax: (256) 352-9880

f18 parts.... it cannot be an F22 as the F22 has rectangular shaped thrust vectors not circular ones.

reply to post by Skinon


YEAP! Thats what i thought myself... New version?

Maybe a hillbilly is building himself a rocket car!

[edit on 16-7-2009 by Hung Lo]

I don't know how F-16's 18's 22's or 35's are built but I wonder if one of them might be built in modules. Maybe the object is the bulk of the fuselage w/ engines and twin tails of one of these conventional craft. If it was some exotic craft I think they would probably try to hide it better.

Looks like a mod of the NASA X-38.

f18 or more likely f 22 because of the body is wider than a typical f 18 in my opinion