It's here. The SpaceX fighter plane.2000+ nautical mile base range far outclassing every manned fighter planeno runway to take offno runway to landvectored thrustmedium stealth
>2000 mi>that picOnly if that range includes the Falcon 9 launcher
>>64431886The main engineer for the program came from the Falcon 9 vertical landing team.It fits 2 LRASMs plus two AIM-174 or AMRAAM as the basic loadout.
>>64431900The launcher is the same trailer you see in the OP pic. It lands on it too. It uses one F15 type engine on afterburner to take off. No afterburner to land tho.
>>64431886manlets for scale
>>64431886>medium stealthAs apposed to small stealth or large stealth?
>the cinematic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cF5KyGidgE
>>64431886new air power dropped https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXgEqT0AR_k
>>64431910That is just a trailer with diverter for an 1/10th scale drone (min estimated using its payload).
>>64431917Yes. It's not going for full F35/B21 tier stealth but it's still fifth gen class - far above say a Su57.
>>64431910>one F100 engine>MTOW ~1.3 tons>It fits 2 LRASMs plus two AIM-174 or AMRAAM as the basic loadout.Nope.
>>64431923>>64431930>american air power so good chinks and fudds cannot believe it is physically possibleConsider me remoralized.
>>64431919>podcaster slopGet it right nigger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnpuNlE3UxU
>>64431904Is all of that supposed to be stored internally? If it is, where does the fuel go? If it's not, why pretend that it's stealth?
>>64431960There are internal bays for the AMRAAMs and AIM-174s but LRASMs have to go on the outside AFAIK.Yes the fuel is all inside.Yes, it's stealthier than your Su57.
>>64431938That render shows something considerably larger, probably 10 times heavier than the OP.> it is physically possible>5 years later they show something without the retarded rocket assisted TO and with considerable changes in the design, something far more conventional>the real range still undisclosed because of an NDA valid until 2079Not holding my breath, bye.
>>64431960If I were clever, I'd devise a way to store fuel in the wings.
>>64431970So all the fuel can pour out? >>64431938
Maybe we're not falling behind China after all...
The 3rd world seethe is really great. Cool plane
all of these pictures look ai, especially the writing for Sheild AI and HIVEMINDis there any footage or pictures of it flying around or are all these renders or something?
>>64432000i just want to see it working
>>64432031The US doesn't have a reason to make things up for propaganda like China>>64432055everyone does. It's going to take time for that to happen
On one hand they appear to at least be trying to hire for all the right roles to do this sort of thing, on the other their current list of achieved milestones is performative bullshit and in no way indicative of any actual progress.>Wind tunnel testing of scale mockup>Radar cross section evaluation of scale mockup>Engine tests of an off-the-shelf P&W or GE engine>That's it so far, but we'll totally be flying within 14 months, invest pls
>>64432075>It's going to take time for that to happenannouncing it with nothing more than renders and mockups seems like investor bait 2bh
>>64431886Silicon valley invents the Reaper drone? Nice renders bro I'm sure that'll get the investor types real excited
Reddit Strike Fighter
>>64431886The Cybertruck of the sky.
>>64431913what ordnance does it carry? because hellfires are about seven feet long, so longer than the manlets and i'm not really seeing room for 2000 miles of fuel and even hellfire sized weapons in that thing
>>64432803Try to be a bit more subtle with your seething, Chang
>>64432136It's looking very promising on fulfilling its mission of making Shield AI owners billionaires either through acquisition or a super-hyped IPO
>>64431998We never were lmao, China is just ahead in the information war (propaganda)
I think the deciding factor will be loitering capabilities, payload configurations and cost.If this thing can be popped out at 500k~1mil per unit, provide effective loitering and sensor suite that can integrate with other units, while performing effective secondary AA roles, America has effectively just won the air war (the real one that includes drones) again.If this thing costs 10 mil per unit, has a sensor suite that either can't track near ground level units well OR can't track opposing stealth aircrafts effectively enough to provide targetting for other AA systems, all while being less survivable than say, the f117, I'm ok with all resources being diverted to directly cloning DJI manufacturing lines instead.
>>64432967Retard it is trying to be an F-35B at half the nebulously defined “lifetime cost”, that it’s using an F100 or F110 already blows your top end budget. Thing is in the 20-30 million range absolute bare minimum. It isn’t trying to be an fpv drone, and shouldn’t be because we have shit to fit that role. They’re almost certainly shooting for CCA Inc.2 or a USMC contract as a more capable Valkyrie. Failing that it’s shilling on the export market, maybe Ukraine would be interested since they have an office there.
>>64431998The west is leagues ahead and never fell behind, the only difference is that the west keeps its best tech a secret whilst china "leaks" all their recent prototypes to chest thump and appear stronger than thry actually are for propaganda purposes.
it's funny how they don't show where exactly they would stuff a radar into that thing
>>64431913Wait this thing is real? I thought all the pics I've been seeing were just high-quality renders.It does look fairly small. 1 LRASM in a centerline bay, maybe.
>>64432967Well it uses a $7.5mil engine, so probably not hitting those cost targets
>>64431998China doesn't know how to truly innovate, all they've been doing the last 20 years is focusing on manufacturing good designs. Chinkshit can be good if its designed by western engineers.
West taiwan is just falling down.
>>64433754Vgh.Do these guys just get absolutely stuck on the fighter aircraft mindset?Even the Hi-Lo mix gets fucked and lateblock f16 were effectively hi configurations for the pre-raptor airforce while f15s were just less numerous f16s.A stealthy, cheap Cessna with high survivability that extends the information space with low existing infrastructure requirements. Back to the numbers game to make low end drones non cost effective. That's all this thing needs to be. Leave the strike role to cheaper alternatives like drones, rockets, artillery, jdams and b52s. Carry a couple aim9s for fun. That's literally it.
>>64433821So a predator/reaper drone..?
>>64433821>Drones shouldn't have stealth and air-to-air capabilities because... well they just shouldn't, okay?!The future is now, you senile faggot
>>64433893I don't consider those survivable, nor do they have the sensor suites to dissuade stealth aircrafts from staying the fuck away, and it's dubious whether their sensors can track low flying drones well enough to link to interceptor drones.But yes, a predator/reaper drone of the future, built on the order of 100k~1 mil per expected theatre, saturating the entire theatre, with low loss rate and low cost of replacement.
>>64433821A) Cheap and survivable are mutually exclusiveB) The logistics of manufacturing, storing, maintaining, and deploying an enormous fleet of cheap shit wipes away the cost savings vs a smaller number of high-end platforms. From the American procurement perspective dollars are infinite and manhours are scarce, in-theatre manhours doubly so.
>>64433821The Hi-Lo mix here is these things as the Hi side and the Lo side is the much cheaper V-Bat prop-powered VTOL recon drone from the same company which is currently in use in Ukraine.
>>64434485>From the American procurement perspective dollars are infiniteThat hasn't been true in almost a decade, you pudding brained boomer. Read a Pentagon report instead of reddit slop.
>>64431886God imagine these things hunting you down, do they fly in packs?
>>64431886are we entering ace combat timeline?
>>64433754They're supposed to be about $15 mil according to the rollout event.
Imagine dozens of these taking off at once simultaneously with preset orders
>Thirdie shills: XAXAXA WECTOIDS ARE BEHINDS OF THE DRONE GAME, WE SHALL OVERWHELM THEIR TANKS AND INFANTRY WITH FPV DRONES>USA:
>>64434902Amazon 1-hour delivery is going to be wild.>watch SpaceX fighter plane approach at max speed you house in bump fuck nowhere like it is doing a bombing run>"Son, did you order something?"
>>64432136>don't even have an engine selectedThis is how you know they aren't serious. They have one wood/plastic scale model and a bunch of CGI. Given that this is coming from Musk's company and how famous he is for hyping vaporware (roadster 2, semi, and full self driving when?) I'm guessing that this is just bait for them to rob investors with.Which DoD program are they even trying to pursue with this?
The 60s called they want their concept back
>>64434962That thing looks so goofy, it took me a moment to realize it wasn't from some 60s TV series for kids or teenagers.
>>64434962A lot of modern tech is just an old concept limited by something that can't be solved without some other tech being developed first.
>>64434968Some thunderbirds teir design isn't it>>64434970Yeah but it's still interesting to see that some of these ideas and concepts are 60 years old already. And those are just the ones we know of.
>>64431886>It's here!!!!>...>it's actually a render
>>64431919>you need a separate docking station for each onegay shit
>>64434980There's physical versions of it posted ITT including the OP
>>64431913How short is Shawn Ryan?
>>64435004Don't be stupid in my presence.
>>64433919>But yes, a predator/reaper drone of the future, built on the order of 100k~1 Nigger, you expect this thing to be loaded with enough shit to combat stealth aircraft and you want it to be less than a mission dollars?
>>64431886>>64431913implessive
>>64434961>Vaporware>Starship existsYeah, the automobile variants were definitely more important. And the answer is Loyal Wingman.
>>64431930Its RATO, so it just has to go fast as fuck to stay up on those little wings. The rocket seems to be liquid fuel reusable, its going to a "stupid fast" mode, something like Mach 4 on a dive with the takeoff/land rocket turned on. Turned into a rather high spec cruise missile air strike strike platform thingy. Speed is coming back more and more I like this. There will be an additional forward cryogenic propellant supply (LO2?) required now however.
>>64431886Isn't this the 4th, or 5th?, CCA platform that's been revealed so far? Hopefully the DoD is actually smart with procurement for once and decides that all candidates are going to be secured for procurement. >>64434962They literally state that the X-17 is the direct influence of the platform.
>this isn't the full sized version. it's a 1/3 scale mockup >the full size version is not completed and has not undergone a single test flight >the first test flight will take place no earlier than 2026so vaporware
>>64435018Not combat. Just detect them.Stealth aircraft really don't have much better aeronautic performance than non-stealth aircraft - not so much that they can just casually dodge sams once there's a lock (the problem is getting the lock).A drone with strong enough radar to provide a partial signature, networked with other drones to give enough of a signal for lock-on through triangulation and other methods, while remaining survivable against old paradigm, single radar array detection.The goal isn't combat parity on a per unit basis - maybe not even a per deployment basis. So long as the risk is high enough for stealth aircrafts that their stealth is only partially effective, the program can earn its worth by using those same sensors to feed drone interception data to deny cruise missile/FPV drones/loitering munition/everything inbetween.An extended arm of AWACS, if you will. Again, the aim9s (if there's even a weapons bay for them) are put on there for fun.
>>64436365If your talking about X-bat it's confirmed not to use RATO/JATO etc, just afterburner.
>>64431928I thought f35 was already medium stealth compared to f22
>>64436809Nope.The F-35's F135 and the F119 have the stealth augmentors (after burner spray bars).>Pratt points out that the F119 and F135 are the only production engines with stealthy augmentors. Their design eliminates conventional spray bars and flame holders and integrates multi-zone reheat fuel injection into curved vanes that block the line-of-sight to the turbine.https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/p-w-confirms-stealthy-augmentors-of-f119-f135.12335/The F-35 is stealthier than the F-22, having an RCS of 0.0001m^2. Especially when you add in the all composite body panel with "baked in" Carbon Nanotube (CNT) RAM that the F-22 lacks.>Hostage caused a stir in late spring when, in press interviews, he said the F-35 would be stealthier than the F-22...“I would say that General Hostage is accurate in his statement about the simple stealthiness of the F-35 [with regard] to other airplanes”https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/The-F-35-on-Final-Approach/>The F-35 also has excellent RAM bonded to the composite panels, making it extremely difficult to detect - if not impossible.>The composite absorbs radar in a frequency range from about 0.10 Megahertz to about 60 Gigahertz. The CNT-infused fiber material forms a first layer that reduces radar reflectance and a second layer that dissipates the energy of the radar.>Radar absorbing composite materials of the present invention are particularly effective, for example, in the L- through K-band as described herein further below.https://patents.google.com/patent/US20100271253https://www.ineffableisland.com/2010/06/lockheed-martin-discloses-carbon.htmlhttps://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=197759https://www.key.aero/forum/modern-military-aviation/136859-advanced-in-ram-make-low-frequency-radar-much-less-effective-in-futurehttps://theaviationist.com/2020/07/05/new-and-old-f-35-coatings-compared-in-recent-photo-of-two-italian-lightning-ii-jets/https://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=53014
>>64431886palmer just raped these guys
>>64439722Whoever loses, America wins.
>>64436438You are not going to get an appreciable signal to noise ratio against stealth aircraft using a radar that would fit in that thing. Even an expensive F-16 APG-80 sized AESA radar isn't detecting something stealth until it's about 15 nautical miles away at most. At best you network a few of these and detect it a little bit past that. Problem is that any current stealth aircraft is going to be way larger with a way more powerful radar detecting and killing these things way further out than that.
>>64440004the cost ratio is going to tilt hard in the favor of these drones if you can bake in stealth and mount a radar that's an appreciable fraction of current fighter aircrafts.
this one has a cool look to it I would have it in second place for cool looks after the airbus wingman concept I like the open mouth, the distended belly is a bit odd tho, usually planes have more mass on the top side
>>64435171>>Starship existsElon would pay you a billion dollars if you could prove this for him. Falcon 9 is the only successful rocket SpaceX ever made and they made it by accident, everything before and after was a failure in one way or another. They got away with Falcon Heavy because normies weren't paying attention and thought it and Falcon 9 were the same rocket. But now with Starship the failure is going to be glorious. NASA has already quietly moved on to another company for the upcoming moon missions which is why Elon was having such a meltie recently.
>>64440296amazing, everything you said is wrongt. /sfg/
>>64431930>>MTOW ~1.3 tonsIt's "over 1.3" and this number because it's classified as group 5 drone.Judging by F100 thrust this thing has like 13 tons MTOW and 7 tons landing weight.
>>64440004>using a radarUse thermal cameras.
>>64440590Kekked
>>64440004>fit in that thingWhy would you do such a thing?
>>64440296Proof