Message posted by Smythers on July 05, 2020 at 16:35:05 PST:
As for Lockheed and their swarm - Yeah, I see that they have completed a lot of work with a major AESA array manufacturer to complete their active skins - Embedded radars that are also structural load bearing. V'Berg RQ-170s look absolutely crisp, as do their bigger brethren. So what is at Groom? Well, I am going to wager that these are for a 6 ship swarm with a host - Look for an F-15 twin seater with extra pods and mods lurking about. The craft themselves? Supersonic escort airframes that LM got the nod for. They have done all the work, they have proven all of the sensors and made that very clear with their unmanned F-35. The work was done, they just needed a contract. and just look at all of that major building work they are doing at Plant 42. Thats some serious new floor space.
I indeed am pointing to the RQ-180 having such disruptive technologies aboard that even the planform will remain hidden for a long while yet, and when it is 'out in the wild' I deeply suspect that the sensor laden skins will be redacted in any official source material (As was the B-2 during night air to air re-fuelling)
In Reply to: Re: ets have a discussion about "Cognitive EW" and why the RQ-180 / Beale AI is vital posted by Joerg (Webmaster) on July 05, 2020 at 15:47:20 PST:
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