Hypersonic SR-72 Demonstrator Reportedly Spotted at Skunk Works
A subscale demonstrator was reportedly spied at Lockheed's facilities in California as the aerospace giant touts the imminent coming of hypersonic aircraft.
Lockheed Martin
By Jay Bennett
Sep 28, 2017
Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs, better known as Skunk Works, might be further along in the development process for the SR-72 than it has let on. A proposed hypersonic reconnaissance and strike aircraft, the SR-72 would serve as a replacement for the famed SR-71 Blackbird, which was retired by the Air Force back in 1998. In June, Lockheed announced early progress on the program, and now a source told Aviation Week that they spotted a small demonstrator aircraft landing at Skunk Works facilities in Palmdale, California, possibly associated with early tests for the
The reported sighting corresponds with announcements from Lockheed regarding progress in hypersonic aircraft research. The aerospace firm previously reported work on a combined-cycle engine that uses elements of both a turbine and a scramjet to achieve hypersonic speeds, something Lockheed Martin tested with partner Aerojet Rocketdyne from 2013 to 2017. Two combined-cycle engines are planned to power the SR-72, which is designed to be about the same size of the SR-71 and could achieve first flight in the late 2020s.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/news/a28420/hypersonic-sr-72-demonstrator-reportedly-spotted-at-skunk-works/
