Thread

1. walrus01 · 1790727565 · focus · HN ↗

   I'd be more astonished if there isn't something superior to the SR71 (likely unmanned) that has been flying around at night from facilities like Groom Lake for years. Look at how long the RQ180 was flying around in semi-public and known about before it became seen in daylight by plane spotters in Greece. And a long time before that there were public relations approved photos of the Lockheed Martin Polecat.

   There were a series of extremely public quotations from senior DoD officially recently about how they plan to aggressively retire the Global Hawk program (which is a mostly non stealth aircraft), reading between the lines it's because they have something much better.

   edit: for those who haven&#x27;t seen the RQ180: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.google.com&#x2F;search?client=firefox-b-d&amp;q=RQ180+greece" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.google.com&#x2F;search?client=firefox-b-d&amp;q=RQ180+gre...

   edit 2 (apologies for the X link): <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;x.com&#x2F;MechDesignxyz&#x2F;status&#x2F;2041281689838584193" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;x.com&#x2F;MechDesignxyz&#x2F;status&#x2F;2041281689838584193

   1. hilsdev · 1790727775 · focus · HN ↗

      I suspect everything comparable of late has been orbital, which begs the question what is it they’re worried about with orbital? Satellite warfare is already accelerating if the rumors are true, is it that this is untouchable still? Is there some new camera sensor where eliminating that extra atmospheric diffraction or slowing down (lol) is needed?

      1. numpad0 · 1790752155 · focus · HN ↗

         Satellites are defenseless and easily shot down, either one by one using ballistic missiles or by creating a sweeping ring of debris, in a full scale WW3 where things like treaties and sanctions don&#x27;t matter

         1. gosub100 · 1790769500 · focus · HN ↗

            You forgot lasers

            1. numpad0 · 1790779053 · focus · HN ↗

               Yeah, China can probably do that too in a WW3 situation. A nuclear PSU wherever low enough latitude with a telescope next to it shooting up anything moving it sees. LEO satellites can&#x27;t avoid covering everywhere on Earth where latitude is lower than its inclination. It probably has to be articulating and tracking, not like fixed Minecraft beacons, but even that will do its job eventually.

               1. gosub100 · 1790782366 · focus · HN ↗

                  or space based lasers, there&#x27;s no atmosphere to dampen the pulse

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