US Air Force Declared SR-72 DARKSTAR Is REAL!

Lockheed Martin has always led the industry when it comes to innovation in military aviation, and is poised to reaffirm its title as the leader with its latest hypersonic unmanned vehicle - the SR-72.
But can this aerial ghost, born in some secret lab, surpass its legendary ancestor, the SR-71 Blackbird, by rewriting the future of American air operations?
Let’s figure it out!

[thirtywins]

RULE 1 if they show you ....they already got the next one ready.

[billwhite]

SR-71 flew for about 9 years when very few knew about it. SR-72 probably already in service.

[troywalker]

I just ordered one for myself. Should be here by Friday. Overnight delivery was too expensive...

[mikeprzlomski]

When it test flys people think it’s a UFO. 🤣😂🤣

[wakemanfam]

A little secret to all of you. Whenever the U.S. Air Force publicly announces a plane to the public, the plane has already been tested for 20-25 years. The Blackbird first flew in 1957 and the F-22 first flew in 1989. 😂

[johnwillis]

If they showed it to the public, even in mockup form, to the public, it has been flying for several years now. The SR-71 had flown a decade before the public had any idea it exited. And if it has been shown, the next generation is already under development.

[itsjustdonkey]

3:50 Maximum altitude ceiling of 85, 000 lbs... ROFL!!!

[anthonymcdonald]

A lot of people do not know that they built the stealth fighter and the stealth bomber back in the '70s they did not come out till desert Storm That's how long they kept it head

[VIcWood-ou]

I got mine on Amazon Prime - was discounted on Prime Day!

[rickyt]

If they talk about it. It’s done.
Ba da bing. Ba da boom.🥁

[alancranford]

The Darkstar (if it existed) advantage over drones would be situational awareness and the Darkstar advantage over satellites would be responsiveness.

[leeofallon]

SR-72 is a marvel with chimera engines that propel it between 2.5 and 3.5 mach at extreme altitudes ... but what is the platform frame composition - improved alloy formulations? A toast to Skunk Works!

[rrivera]

The fact that SR-72 has pulled its pants down means they already have another one that works even better and faster.

[patschooley]

It has been in service since the retirement of the

[damienmaynard]

They needed to replace the SR-71 because English Lightning fighters were DIVING on it to gun firing solutions in the 80's and 90's. AND the Swedish Viggen fighters were regularly achieving missile lock upon it throughout the 90's and 2000's! SR-73 in service development already. SR-72 due to be phased out soon.

[christopherstone]

Well actually the successor to the 71 is not an Air Force plane, it’s flown by the NRO (National Reconnaissance Office). It gets airborne refueling support from specialized Air Force tankers, but the missions are performed and the data collected are controlled by the NRO.

[ventedvoice]

Carbon fiber footprint, has a nice ring to it.

[frisk]

The "successor" to the SR-71 are high resolution satellites... That being said.. I PRAY the "SR-72" isn't just a pipe dream.. I personally think Lockheed /DARPA already have the propulsion system figured out. I'm most curious of how you repeatedly deal with Mach 6 heating...

[justachipnc]

You can picture Maverick flying inverted with Goose taking a snapshot of a Russian Hypersonic Missel at full burn 🤣🤣👍👍

[darthazgorath]

Sr-72 Son Of Blackbird Dark Star. A duel purpose hypersonic aircraft with both a manned and unmanned variant.

Why people are so insistent that "its a drone" when part of the hype is it being the fastest self-propelled manned air craft to beat its older brother is beyond me.