3 ms·

Air Force chief hints at existence of clandestine spy aircraft

41 points by keepamovin 2y ago

blitzar 2y ago
If this exists you would hint at its existence, if it does not exist you would hint at its existence.
- ls612 2y ago
  The concept of a drone with low RCS features is pretty sane by military tech standards, it would surprise me if they hadn’t been developing such a thing.
- m463 2y ago
  From what I've learned about these logic problems, you should ask what the other side would do, then do the opposite.
- keepamovin 2y ago
  Please increase the quality of your commentary. The comments on the article page are better than the ones on HN in this case, sadly.
blueprint 2y ago
I bet it cloaks.
- blitzar 2y ago
  Normally it's the bad guys who have cloaking technology / shapeshifting abilities.
  - throwaway48540 2y ago
    [flagged]
  - wkat4242 2y ago
    Only due to the treaty of Algeron
  - ahartmetz 2y ago
    "Are we the bad guys?" Starting wars that result in many dead, but no lasting improvement for anyone is kinda bad.
  - blueprint 2y ago
    Yeah I mean if they have nothing to hide why did they evolve shapeshifting
- pyinstallwoes 2y ago
  I bet it uses a similar technique to impulse responses in convolution reverb to modify the visible wavelengths according to some recorded object.
xattt 2y ago
Top Gun did tease an SR-72…
- keepamovin 2y ago
  Funny that Darkstar is actually quite similar to the project name of another X plane: Blackstar. The similarity between “Blackstar” and the “Dark Star” in “Top Gun: Maverick” could indeed be a nod to the history and mystique surrounding classified aerospace projects. Blackstar is often compared to other rumored or declassified programs like the SR-71 Blackbird, the Aurora spy plane, and various DARPA projects. Its secretive nature and advanced capabilities place it within the realm of speculative black projects.
- bguebert 2y ago
  Lockheed Martin is working on a SR-72 concept plane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_SR-72 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_SR-72
jqpabc123 2y ago
Stealth is an open invitation for disruption. It certainly has utility but placing too much emphasis on this is highly risky IMO. A modest improvement in detection of either communication or presence could easily render stealth obsolete --- particularly for slow moving, remote controlled drones.
- keepamovin 2y ago
  Right. Ukraine has shown how ad-hoc, battlefield 3d-printed charges on rooted FPV drones can be incredibly cheap and effective. Houthis are showing something similar. It's like the evolution the low-tech / cyberpunk of disgusting IEDs. I also wonder if, in this context, the age of ultra-concentrations of super-high tech innovations across multiple fields (materials science, EW, aerodynamics, manufacturing) in super-expensive, long delivery time platforms is not the right strategy -- cool as all that stuff is. Practical warfare now seems a a lot more scrappy and "disruptive" to incumbent tech than seemingly anticipated.

41 points by keepamovin 2y ago

blitzar 2y ago

If this exists you would hint at its existence, if it does not exist you would hint at its existence.

ls612 2y ago
The concept of a drone with low RCS features is pretty sane by military tech standards, it would surprise me if they hadn’t been developing such a thing.
m463 2y ago
From what I've learned about these logic problems, you should ask what the other side would do, then do the opposite.
keepamovin 2y ago
Please increase the quality of your commentary. The comments on the article page are better than the ones on HN in this case, sadly.

blueprint 2y ago

I bet it cloaks.

blitzar 2y ago
Normally it's the bad guys who have cloaking technology / shapeshifting abilities.
- throwaway48540 2y ago
  [flagged]
- wkat4242 2y ago
  Only due to the treaty of Algeron
- ahartmetz 2y ago
  "Are we the bad guys?" Starting wars that result in many dead, but no lasting improvement for anyone is kinda bad.
- blueprint 2y ago
  Yeah I mean if they have nothing to hide why did they evolve shapeshifting
pyinstallwoes 2y ago
I bet it uses a similar technique to impulse responses in convolution reverb to modify the visible wavelengths according to some recorded object.

xattt 2y ago

Top Gun did tease an SR-72…

keepamovin 2y ago
Funny that Darkstar is actually quite similar to the project name of another X plane: Blackstar. The similarity between “Blackstar” and the “Dark Star” in “Top Gun: Maverick” could indeed be a nod to the history and mystique surrounding classified aerospace projects. Blackstar is often compared to other rumored or declassified programs like the SR-71 Blackbird, the Aurora spy plane, and various DARPA projects. Its secretive nature and advanced capabilities place it within the realm of speculative black projects.
bguebert 2y ago
Lockheed Martin is working on a SR-72 concept plane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_SR-72 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_SR-72

jqpabc123 2y ago

Stealth is an open invitation for disruption. It certainly has utility but placing too much emphasis on this is highly risky IMO. A modest improvement in detection of either communication or presence could easily render stealth obsolete --- particularly for slow moving, remote controlled drones.

keepamovin 2y ago
Right. Ukraine has shown how ad-hoc, battlefield 3d-printed charges on rooted FPV drones can be incredibly cheap and effective. Houthis are showing something similar. It's like the evolution the low-tech / cyberpunk of disgusting IEDs. I also wonder if, in this context, the age of ultra-concentrations of super-high tech innovations across multiple fields (materials science, EW, aerodynamics, manufacturing) in super-expensive, long delivery time platforms is not the right strategy -- cool as all that stuff is. Practical warfare now seems a a lot more scrappy and "disruptive" to incumbent tech than seemingly anticipated.