F 16 DRONES - ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE !

[humble3d]

F 16 DRONES - ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE !

Didn’t realize drone technology had advanced this far so quickly.

They are using up their obsolete F-16’s. Not a good day for the

future of manned aircraft. Seems like the PILOT is on the endangered

list. This little four minute video is really something. A first

for a full size jet airplane. Thousands of planes that were grave

yard bound, with costs in the hundreds of millions, can now be used

as never before. These F-16’s Boeing aircraft have been in the bone

yard at Davis-Monahan for 15 years, and now being used as drones.

http://video.boeing.com/services/player/bcpid1173939806001?bckey=AQ%7E%7E%2cAAAAukPAlqE%7E%2coAVq1qtdRjwBrIkHYj2MSytJiEK9s5fy&bclid=0&bctid=2684464741001   

[STEEL]

:rolleyes: Here al;so BLACKBIRD :P

Lockheed D-21

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

D-21 The D-21 mounted on the back of the M-21. Note the intake cover on the drone, which was used on early flights. Role High-altitude and high speed reconnaissance drone National origin United States Manufacturer Lockheed First flight 22 December 1964 Introduction 1969 Retired 1971 Primary users Central Intelligence Agency
United States Air Force Number built 38

The Lockheed D-21 was an American Mach 3+ reconnaissance drone. The D-21 was initially designed to be launched from the back of its M-21 carrier aircraft, a variant of the Lockheed A-12 aircraft. Development began in October 1962. Originally known by the Lockheed designation Q-12, the drone was intended for reconnaissance missions deep in enemy airspace.

The D-21 was designed to carry a single high-resolution photographic camera over a preprogrammed path, then release the camera module into the air for retrieval, after which the drone would self-destruct.^[1] Following a fatal accident when launched from an M-21, the D-21 was modified to be launched from a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. Only four operational D-21 flights were made over the People's Republic of China before the program was canceled in 1971.

Contents

• 1 Design and development
  • 1.1 Testing and carrier change
• 2 Operational history
• 3 Aircraft on display
• 4 Specifications (D-21)
• 5 See also
• 6 References
• 7 External links

Design and development

In the 1960s, Lockheed's secret Skunk Works developed the Mach 3 A-12 reconnaissance aircraft for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). After the downing of Gary Powers's U-2 in 1960, a number of different concepts were proposed as alternatives. Kelly Johnson, the leader of Skunk Works, developed the concept of a long-range drone that used much of the A-12's technology. In October 1962, the CIA and the US Air Force instructed Lockheed to study a high-speed, high-altitude drone concept. Johnson specified speeds of Mach 3.3–3.5, an operational altitude of 87,000–95,000 feet (27,000–29,000 m), and a range of 3,000 nautical miles (3,500 mi; 5,600 km). It was intended to make a one-way trip, eject its camera payload at the end of the mission for recovery, then self-destruct.^[2] It had a double-delta wing similar to the A-12's wing design. The Q-12 was to be air-launched from the back of an A-12, and used key technology from the A-12 project, including titanium construction and radar cross-section reduction design features.[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_D-21

[eddman]

This isn't new. They've been doing this for DECADES. I'm surprised that you're surprised.

Also, you're misunderstanding all this. These drones are NOT used as weapon systems. They are used as targets. That's all. There isn't really much new here.