USAF confirms existence of new stealth UAV

[Hobbes]

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed to Aviation Week the existence of the so-called "Beast of Kandahar" UAV, a stealth-like remotely piloted jet seen flying out of Afghanistan in late 2007.

The RQ-170 Sentinel, believed to be a tailless flying wing design with sensor pods faired into the upper surface of each wing, was developed by Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs (ADP), better known as Skunk Works. An Air Force official revealed Dec. 4 that the service is "developing a stealthy unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to provide reconnaissance and surveillance support to forward deployed combat forces."

source: Aviation week

[GTX]

Yeah, I saw that - makes you wonder what else is down the line...

Regards,

Greg

[Spey_Phantom]

by the looks of the forward wheel, i say BdB suggested Lockmart that it should have SPATS 

kinda looks good that way 

[Weaver]

Speculation elsewhere is that the nosewheel retracts sideways to make room for an EO turret just behind it.

One wonders why it has to be stealthy to support US ground forces against guys with AKs running around in the hills, but then you have to remember which country Afghanistan is conveniently just east of.....

[Martin H]

Speculation elsewhere is that the nosewheel retracts sideways to make room for an EO turret just behind it.

One wonders why it has to be stealthy to support US ground forces against guys with AKs running around in the hills, but then you have to remember which country Afghanistan is conveniently just east of.....

Im sure the powers that be in the DoD have no idea ofwhere you could be refering to LOL

[B777LR]

One wonders why it has to be stealthy to support US ground forces against guys with AKs running around in the hills, but then you have to remember which country Afghanistan is conveniently just east of.....

And to the west and south too...

[anthonyp]

One wonders why it has to be stealthy to support US ground forces against guys with AKs running around in the hills, but then you have to remember which country Afghanistan is conveniently just east of.....

And to the west and south too...

That was mentioned in the AvWeek article, that Afghanistan was the perfect place to look into Iran, Pakistan, China, and India.

[B777LR]

One wonders why it has to be stealthy to support US ground forces against guys with AKs running around in the hills, but then you have to remember which country Afghanistan is conveniently just east of.....

And to the west and south too...

That was mentioned in the AvWeek article, that Afghanistan was the perfect place to look into Iran, Pakistan, China, and India.

India is sorta an ally though, they wouldn't risk doing anything stupid with them. It's rather close to Russias soft belly though.

[ChrisF]

Not that we would ever get into a conversation about politics on here since it is against t' rules... but...

There was a theory that the invasion of iraq helped with that small problem too... what with iraq being pretty much central to all of the middle east, setting up shop there would be... handy... lol

[anthonyp]

One wonders why it has to be stealthy to support US ground forces against guys with AKs running around in the hills, but then you have to remember which country Afghanistan is conveniently just east of.....

And to the west and south too...

That was mentioned in the AvWeek article, that Afghanistan was the perfect place to look into Iran, Pakistan, China, and India.

India is sorta an ally though, they wouldn't risk doing anything stupid with them. It's rather close to Russias soft belly though.

Actually, allies spy on allies still.  Why stop paying attention only because the current regime is friendlier than the previous or potentially the next?

[pyro-manic]

When the Indians brought some Flankers to play with the RAF's Typhoons a few years ago, the US had some ELINT aircraft sniffing around for radar emissions etc. Plus the Indians are shaping up to be the major power in southern Asia in the next few decades, so anyone with any sense will be keeping an eye on them...

I think it's a safe bet that there's a weapons-capable version of the Sentinel either in development or already deployed.

[B777LR]

When the Indians brought some Flankers to play with the RAF's Typhoons a few years ago, the US had some ELINT aircraft sniffing around for radar emissions etc. Plus the Indians are shaping up to be the major power in southern Asia in the next few decades, so anyone with any sense will be keeping an eye on them...

Actually, allies spy on allies still.  Why stop paying attention only because the current regime is friendlier than the previous or potentially the next?

Indeed, but there are safer ways than risking that one of your latest stealth planes are shot down in the middle of India in the process Imagine how India would react. The US gov. still has to aknowledge the fact that India has ordered a bunch of P-8s and C-130Js, and that the F-16 and F-18 both are in the running for the next fighter...

[lancer]

Speculation elsewhere is that the nosewheel retracts sideways to make room for an EO turret just behind it.

One wonders why it has to be stealthy to support US ground forces against guys with AKs running around in the hills, but then you have to remember which country Afghanistan is conveniently just east of.....

The American Military haS a bug up their collective ,arses as far as Stealth is concerned, and Lockmart arehappy to supply all the Seaslth stuff they can get thier hands on. As far as that UAV is concerned,they could paint it bright pink and the Taliban would still never see it.

[Jschmus]

It's called the RQ-170 Sentinel:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091208/pl_afp/usaviationmilitarydrones_20091208212912

Is it me, or is this another throwback designation?  I know there aren't that many drones in US service.

[anthonyp]

It's one of those Planet Pentagon things that makes no sense to anyone else other than the people who live on the planet where the sky is silver (apparently).

This is another one of those "throw off the public with a non-nonsensical designation" things (See "F-117").

And as for spying on India (and other allies), you apparently haven't been paying attention to how far from rational reality government intelligence gathering apparatus work.  They don't care if they're caught or not.

And the deal for the transports has been acknowledged, as well as the fighter offerings.  They wouldn't have been allowed to go through if the proposals didn't meet ITAR requirements (trust me, working in Defense makes me intimately aware of ITAR (read "Export controls") requirements and what needs to be done to even offer a basic US designed machine to a foreign government).