Message posted by NotTelling (Member since 07/02/2023) on September 23, 2024 at 0:00:25 PST:
When you consider that Low Observable aircraft of this generation are advertised as having the RCS of an insect, a boom of any kind would simply dwarf the aircraft's signature. Since AV-1 is most likely not configured for RCS testing (to my knowledge the first aircraft into flight test is dedicated to envelope expansion and flying qualities...one-off experimental birds such as Bird of Prey and Tacit Blue being good examples but neither were really targeted at production) there would be no reason to make a low-RCS boom (if that were even possible). Earlier I had assumed that the trailing cone would also be an RCS killer. The B-2 had a huge external support structure on the upper surface for it's cone (to prevent impact with the aircraft)...but it appears that the B-21's cone comes out of a compartment on the bottom and no external structure is visible. Either way, flight test boom's are typically remain on the aircraft until envelope expansion is complete...the installation is usually so invasive that there is risk of damage to the aircraft if repeated removal/installation occurs. Bottom line, I'm fairly confident that what Jeorg recorded was NOT the B-21.
In Reply to: Re: B-21 RCS measurement at Area 51 recorded Tuesday, 09/17/2024 posted by Altner on September 22, 2024 at 11:56:21 PST:
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