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| Lockheed Martin - SR-72 Darkstar |
Speculation about a hypersonic, supersonic spy plane like the SR-72 has been going on for decades. Some people think it's all made up, while others are sure it's a real, top-secret project.
The SR-71 Blackbird was retired in 1998, and its purported successor, the SR-72, is currently in development. The Blackbird was used for Cold War reconnaissance missions and could reach speeds of more than Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound. Its streamlined appearance and incredible speed made it an instantly recognizable aircraft.
As a follow-up to the Blackbird, the SR-72 has been in development for some time. Lockheed Martin, one of the most prominent aerospace and defense firms in the world, is developing the project. If the rumored SR-72's top speed of Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound, is accurate, it would be the world's fastest aircraft.
SR-72: A Legend in the Making or Just a Rumor?
Is the SR-72 a real plane or not? The quick answer is that nobody really knows. Lockheed Martin has been mum on the project, and the limited details that have been leaked so far are sketchy at best. But there are indicators that the project is genuine.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced in 2013 that it had successfully tested an unmanned aircraft that could reach speeds of Mach 20. This is an impressive feat, and it indicates that the technology to create a hypersonic aircraft is at hand.
The Secretive Development of the SR-72 Spy Plane
Furthermore, Lockheed Martin was reportedly awarded a contract to develop a hypersonic missile that could be launched from a fighter jet in 2018, as reported by Aviation Week. This indicates the firm is equipped with the necessary resources to develop a hypersonic aircraft.
Mysterious planes believed to be the SR-72 have also been spotted on occasion. The United States and Australia aren't the only countries where people claim to have seen these objects. The reports, however, are hard to confirm, and the sightings might actually be of different types of aircraft.
To sum up, we still don't know if the SR-72 even exists. There are clues suggesting the project is genuine, but no hard data to back up the claim. However, with all the recent technological progress, the SR-72 could very well be in the works right now. Whether or not this legendary plane ever takes to the skies is up in the air.
Campbell, Joshua. "Unveiling the Mystery: Is the SR-72 a Myth or Reality?" Forcescast, 20 Feb. 2023, https://www.forcescast.com/2023/02/unveiling-the-mystery-is-the-sr-72-a-myth-or-reality.html
