Lockheed SR-72

Hypersonic Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft [ 2030 ]

Lockheed Martin will utilize the collected data from the DARPA Falcon HTV-2 program to power the capabilities of its new SR-72.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/09/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image copyright Lockheed Martin marketing material.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

Developed with the same primary mission as the Cold War-era SR-71 "Blackbird", the new high-speed, high-altitude-minded SR-72 "Son of the Blackbird" (the nickname fittingly bestowed by Aviation Week magazine) was unveiled by Lockheed Martin in November of 2013. The aircraft was conceived as an unmanned system which would not risk pilots to the extreme conditions and dangers expected of its super high-speed/high-altitude flight with the SR-72 estimated to reach speeds around Mach 6. As with the SR-71 before it, the SR-72 is designed to simply outrun any intercepting threats from the ground.

The original SR-71 Blackbird saw its first flight on December 22nd, 1964 and was introduced in 1966, completing its excellent service tenure with the USAF in 1998 through formal retirement. Despite never being armed, the SR-71 became the "...most feared aircraft of the Cold War" due to its inherent capabilities in flying higher and faster than any weapon the Soviets could field. Amazingly, the SR-71 was commanded through conventional means and its instrument panel dominated by needled dials with no high-speed digital processing available then. The SR-72 intends to continue the legacy that was brought about by the original Blackbird spyplane and bring all-modern advanced technologies into the fold.

Hypersonic flight, the speeds at which the SR-72 is being designed for, covers the envelope of "highly supersonic" speeds which persist at Mach 5 and beyond. Such speeds bring additional, some not entirely understood, characteristics during flight which require specific design qualities of a given airframe. Hypersonic flight exists beyond supersonic flight (the BAC Concorde airliner) and high-hypersonic flight.

The SR-72 will rely heavily on data collected during the testing of the DARPA-directed "Falcon HTV-2" (Hypersonic Technology Vehicle). The test vehicle served to provide information on aspects concerning extreme high-speed flight and associated (remote) guidance and control at such speeds. The three concentrated phases included aerodynamics (airflow at extreme speeds), aerothermal effects (air temps at extreme speeds) and guidance/navigation/control. The HTV-2 was able to reach speeds of 13,000 miles per hour (Mach 20) with recorded outside surface temperatures of 3,500F degrees.

Concept art for the SR-72 currently indicates a futuristic though still-conventional aircraft form with underslung twin air intakes, slim low-mounted delta-type wing assemblies and a single vertical tail fin. The SR-72 is designed from the outset as an unmanned system and thusly does not feature a cockpit but instead a solid fuselage containing avionics, mission systems and fuel stores. Its flight characteristics and inherent power will allow the vehicle to transition into near-space altitudes as the SR-71 before it (the SR-71 operated up to 85,000 feet). A retractable undercarriage will allow the SR-72 to land and be recovered as a traditional aircraft.©MilitaryFactory.com

The key ingredient to the success of a physically-realized and performing SR-72 will be its powerplant which is comprised of a turbine-based "combined cycle" propulsion system. The arrangement will feature a base turbine engine to provide the necessary thrust from take-off to Mach 3 speeds. From there, the system's dual-mode ramjet will take over to deliver the required hypersonic speeds. The engines will be aspirated through a common inlet at the front of the engine housing and exhausted through a common nozzle at the rear of the aircraft. Internal ductwork will provide the channels needed to access one propulsion method over the other. The engines are provided by Aerojet Rocketdyne. Concept artwork showcases the engines installed in underslung forms outboard of fuselage centerline.

Beyond its presented reconnaissance capabilities, other military-minded mission roles for such a vehicle include may include a missile-carrying platform - the missiles themselves developed around the concept of hypersonic flight to coincide with their hypersonic delivery vehicle. Conceivably, such an aircraft will be able to defy conventional air defenses, swoop in from extremely high altitudes and launch its payload before even being recognized. Additionally, high-speed flight will enable it to reach any place on earth in a matter of minutes or within hours - leaving little time for an enemy to react and allowing US airpower the capability to strike any global target in short order. The technology brought about by this military project could also have a revolutionary impact on future passenger airline travel between major hubs.

Lockheed expects a functional SR-72 test vehicle to be ready by 2030. Its development is being headed by the secretive Lockheed "Skunk Works" facility which developed the famous SR-71.

June 2017 - Lockheed sources have confirmed the existence of SR-72 plans. A prototype is tentatively scheduled for readiness for the early 2020s.

September 2017 - It was revealed that work on the SR-72 project has accelerated as initial sightings of a technology demonstrator, dating back to July, have been reported near the Skunk Works facility (Palmdale, California). This aircraft was reportedly flanked by a pair of T-38 chase planes.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Lockheed Martin - USA
Manufacturer(s)

United States (retired)
Operators

2030
Service Year

United States
National Origin

In-Development
Project Status

0
(UNMANNED)
Crew

0
Units

INTELLIGENCE-SURVEILLANCE-RECONNAISSANCE
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

X-PLANE
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.

UNMANNED
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.

1 x Aerojet Rocketdyne combined cycle propulsion system with turbine engine and dual-mode ramjet utilizing common inlet and nozzle.
Propulsion

4,567 mph
(7,350 kph | 3,969 knots)
Max Speed

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

None.

SR-72 - Company Model Designation

General Assessment

Firepower

Performance

Survivability

Versatility

Impact

Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.

Overall Rating

The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry.

58

Rating is out of a possible 100 points.

Relative Maximum Speed

Hi: 5000mph

Lo: 2500mph

This entry's maximum listed speed (4,567mph).

Graph average of 3,750 miles-per-hour.

Aviation Era Span

Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.

>>>>

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for Special Forces

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Images

1 / 1

Image copyright Lockheed Martin marketing material.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)