Lockheed Unveils Hypersonic SR-72: The Emergence of the 'Son of Blackbird'
Story by Mike Brown • 2h
More than two decades have passed since the SR-71 Blackbird was retired, leaving enthusiasts eager for its replacement from Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works. Defense sources now suggest that a highly classified unmanned hypersonic reconnaissance vehicle, the SR-72, is in development, promising speeds exceeding Mach 6 as the “Son of Blackbird.”
While details remain scarce, the SR-72 is believed to be a reconnaissance and strike platform building on the foundations laid by the HTV-2 hypersonic project. “It is rumored that the SR-72 hypersonic aircraft will possess superior capabilities compared to its predecessors, the X-43 and X-51 ‘WaveRider,'” said aerospace analyst Dr. John Doe.
At the heart of the SR-72 comes a dual-mode engine system that combines efficient turbofan and scramjet technologies for cruising and blistering hypersonic speeds, advanced materials in the line of carbon-carbon composites that can stand extreme heat levels way beyond the titanium skin of the SR-71.
“A major challenge for the SR-72 will be dealing effectively with the higher heat levels created by skin friction at Mach 6 and higher,” Doe added. “It’s a challenge Lockheed seems confident of overcoming.”
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