Lockheed hails progress on hypersonic military aircraft

[Oxman]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/781f6c08-ead6-11e5-bb79-2303682345c8.html#axzz432r8qYda

Lockheed Martin revealed on Tuesday it is on the brink of a technological breakthrough that could lead to the US developing military aircraft that can fly six times the speed of sound.

 

[dustoff17]

Here's one you don't have to pay for:
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/16/lockheed-flies-into-uncertain-future-with-hypersonic-planes.html

Interesting.......
It will be interesting to see how SLOW it can fly or what kind of new weapons will have to be developed.

 

[chrisreedrules]

I'm pretty sure we've had some sort of hypersonic aircraft for quite some time.

 

[jskibo]

Would kind of suck to fire an AIM-9X, then pass it

 

[Richman]

Weren't these the same guys who said they'd have a truck mounted fusion reactor in 5 years, or something like that?

Richman

 

[dustoff17]

Weren't these the same guys who said they'd have a truck mounted fusion reactor in 5 years, or something like that?

Richman

Yes, they built it and it's up and running. The chemical byproduct of this operation is the source of the chemicals we spray out on a daily basis. Try to keep up........

 

[mshunter]

I'm pretty sure we've had some sort of hypersonic aircraft for quite some time.

We did, in the 60's. The X-15 came real damn close to mach 6. And mach 5 is considered hypersonic.

 

[RDoug]

We did, in the 60's. The X-15 came real damn close to mach 6. And mach 5 is considered hypersonic.

Actually, the X-15 beat Mach 6. If I recall correctly, the record for the X-15 was 6.72, but doing that speed burned off the ablative coating and partially melted one of the wings.

 

[///AMG]

Actually, the X-15 beat Mach 6. If I recall correctly, the record for the X-15 was 6.72, but doing that speed burned off the ablative coating and partially melted one of the wings.

affirm

 

[mshunter]

Actually, the X-15 beat Mach 6. If I recall correctly, the record for the X-15 was 6.72, but doing that speed burned off the ablative coating and partially melted one of the wings.

I knew it was fast as *that emote thing again*. Just wasn't sure/didn't realize it was that fast.

 

[hook_dupin]

...or what kind of new weapons will have to be developed.

I offer that a hypersonic vehicle is the weapon.

Ocean crossings in 27 minutes and a SR-72 is a bunch of hooey. A machine that can take out deeply buried targets through its own kinetic energy and without having to rely on a fuze or explosive fill... that's a need.

 

[chrisreedrules]

I offer that a hypersonic vehicle is the weapon.

Ocean crossings in 27 minutes and a SR-72 is a bunch of hooey. A machine that can take out deeply buried targets through its own kinetic energy and without having to rely on a fuze or explosive fill... that's a need.

That's already been researched / developed too. The US has a pretty good strangle hold on near-earth space despite what the news would have you think about Russia and China posing a threat. They do, but not in the sense that they have the means to take down even every single important satellite we have up there. Anyway... We have stuff out there the public won't know about for another 50 years, if ever.

 

[killbilly]

I offer that a hypersonic vehicle is the weapon.

Ocean crossings in 27 minutes and a SR-72 is a bunch of hooey. A machine that can take out deeply buried targets through its own kinetic energy and without having to rely on a fuze or explosive fill... that's a need.

I used to think that bundles of kinetic harpoons from orbit were the stuff of science fiction. But....when you can use physics to your advantage for a low-tech solution...well.

 

[dustoff17]

I offer that a hypersonic vehicle is the weapon.

Ocean crossings in 27 minutes and a SR-72 is a bunch of hooey. A machine that can take out deeply buried targets through its own kinetic energy and without having to rely on a fuze or explosive fill... that's a need.

Agree with you on the airplane part. However, isolating and concentrating this wide path of kinetic energy while at high speed is an interesting concept.......

 

[jskibo]

I offer that a hypersonic vehicle is the weapon.

Ocean crossings in 27 minutes and a SR-72 is a bunch of hooey. A machine that can take out deeply buried targets through its own kinetic energy and without having to rely on a fuze or explosive fill... that's a need.

All the GMD stuff is kinetic kill based.....

 

[elev8]

For you guys in the know. Do we have engineers and great thinkers entering the field? I guess I'm asking, are the baby boomers being replaced sufficiently in this area? With the pilot shortage im just wondering what people are doing these days?

 

[NovemberEcho]

Any hypersonic plane will most likely be armed with lasers. Raytheon says they have lasers in the 10-30kw range right now ready for integration.

 

[Richman]

Any hypersonic plane will most likely be armed with lasers. Raytheon says they have lasers in the 10-30kw range right now ready for integration.

Yea, but what about sharks? You can't have frikin laser beams without sharks. That's a much tougher integration problem.

Richman

 

[NovemberEcho]

Yea, but what about sharks? You can't have frikin laser beams without sharks. That's a much tougher integration problem.

Richman

True, but the Russian Navy is currently looking for dolphins to probably strap lasers to their heads, so it's a step in the right direction.

 

[hook_dupin]

For you guys in the know. Do we have engineers and great thinkers entering the field? I guess I'm asking, are the baby boomers being replaced sufficiently in this area? With the pilot shortage im just wondering what people are doing these days?

My view: yes.

What they don't necessarily have is a compelling reason why these engineers should stay in defense.