Boeing has recently released a concept model for its new hypersonic jet. The company is competing with Lockheed Martin to develop the next generation fighter jet that will be replacing Blackbird SR-71. Even though Blackbird retired in 1998, it is still the holder of world record for being the fastest plane that was ever built. The plane can reach the top speed of 3540 km (2200 mph). The two companies are now competing to build a plane that can cross Mach 5, that is, it can reach a speed of 6171kkmh/3835mph.
In the last week, Boeing proposed a model of its hypersonic aircraft at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ SciTech Forum in Florida. The approval of the plane for full-scale development is still pending, However, Boeing is confident that the design is feasible. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin is also working to develop a replacement of its Blackbird. The company is collaborating with the US Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
The companies are expecting to produce the plane by 2030 but a recent Google Earth image shows that a full-size aircraft is already being developed and will be released sooner than expected. The images that appear to show the US Air Force’s top secret spy plane was discovered by a YouTuber, Tyler Glockner. Tyler uploaded the screenshots to his channel and the video got viral quickly.
Tyler said that the images are taken from an aerospace company that has a main foothold in designing aircraft engines that are widely used in several civilian and military aviation. The image shows a plane with very unusual shape and is standing close to the building on the airbase. The outline of the plane shows that it has a lot of resemblance to the SR-72. SR-72 is a hypersonic jet and is currently under development. The plane looks very futuristic and has a distinctive nose and wing shape.
The fighter jet is capable of hitting any target around the world within an hour. Tyler talks about his curiosity about the shape of the plane saying, “What you’re seeing is a very mysterious object. I haven’t been able to find out what this is. It is no public aircraft that has been disclosed. You can see that this thing looks like a hypersonic aircraft or spacecraft.”
There is not much information available about the fighter plane, however, Brad Leland from Lockheed Martin talked about it earlier this year and said, “Hypersonic aircraft, coupled with hypersonic missiles, could penetrate denied airspace and strike at nearly any location across a continent in less than an hour. Speed is the next aviation advancement to counter emerging threats in the next several decades. The technology would be a game-changer in theatre, similar to how stealth is changing the battlespace today.”