What makes it different from other hypersonics?

The SR-72 “Darkstar” hypersonic aircraft has captured the public imagination and generated speculation about its existence.

The legacy of the SR-71 Blackbird and the evolution towards the SR-72

Thanks to the box office success of “Top Gun: Maverick” two years ago, a super-secret spy plane that officially only existed in theory had already captured the imagination of the American public and reportedly scared the top brass of the People’s Liberation Army ( EPL) of China. The plane in question is SR-72nicknamed “Darkstar” in the film, and nicknamed “SOB (Son of Blackbird)” in many real-world media due to his supposed status as the heir apparent of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbirdwhich remains the fastest air-breathing aircraft ever manufactured 26 years after its official retirement.

Fast forward to today, and questions still abound: is the SR-72 real now, or is it still merely conceptual? What do we know about him now that we didn’t know then? And, whether reality or still just theory, how is it different from other hypersonic aircraft? Simple Flying will now try to answer these questions.

Although he SR-71 is the fastest air-breathing aircraft ever made, the fastest aircraft of *any* type is actually the North American X-15 rocket plane, which reached a maximum speed of Mach 6.7.

Lockheed Martin’s projections for the future of the SR-72

It is not surprising that the successor of Lockheed, Lockheed Martinbe the favorite to make the SR-72as such projects are the forte of the firm’s legendary “Skunk Works” program, the brainchild of the late great Clarence “Kelly” Johnson (February 27, 1910 – December 21, 1990), and the source of creative aeronautical genius Responsible for the following warplanes:

• P-38 Lightning
• U-2 “Dragon Lady” spy plane
• F-104 Starfighter
• F-117 Nighthawk “Stealth Fighter”
• F-22 Raptor
• F-35 Lightning II

The executives of Lockheed Martin privately proposed the concept of SR-72 in 2013, and five years later they projected that a test vehicle of the SR-72 It could fly by 2025 and enter service in the 2030s. So at least we know there are plans for such a project.

Speculation on the capabilities of the SR-72 and its differences from the SR-71

Well, the physical existence of an actual prototype is still strictly speculative at this point, so, likewise, the measurable vital statistics of the “SOB” are also conjecture at this point. Christopher McFadden of Interesting Engineering provides some educated guesses in a January 2024 article (which also provides partial answers to the question posed in the title of this article). Namely:

• A speed capability of more than 4,000 mph (6,437 kph; 3,475.9 kn; Mach 5.21)
• A fuselage length of more than 100 feet (30 m)
• Armament consisting of the new High-Speed ​​Strike Weapon (HSSW) of Lockheed Martina system that can reportedly fire hypersonic weapons faster than any other weapon, including the much-hyped hypersonic missiles of Russiaand instantly reach hypersonic speeds

For the basis of comparison, the speed of the SR-71 was limited to Mach 3. Furthermore, the Blackbird he had no weapons; On the contrary, the tandem of “Son of Blackbird” and the HSSW could penetrate any airspace and attack essentially any location across a continent within an hour.

And as if that Mach 5.21 figure wasn’t impressive enough, defense journalists like The National Interest’s Maya Carlin have raised the possibility that the “SOB” may even have a target speed of Mach 6.0.

Technological challenges to achieve hypersonic speeds

A useful definition of “hypersonic vehicle” is provided by POT: “Vehicles traveling at hypersonic speeds fly at more than five times the speed of sound.”

So whether it’s a “mere” (sarcasm mode fully on there) Mach 5.21 or Mach 6, how will that “Ridiculous Speed” (to borrow a phrase from Mel Brooks’ classic 1987 comedy, “Spaceballs”) be humanly achievable? )? As Ms. Carlin noted: “At speeds above Mach 5.0, the resulting high temperatures can melt conventional metal fuselages. To rectify this, engineers are investigating alternative composites including high-performance ceramic, carbon and metal blends.”

But what about the engines needed to produce that kind of thrust? For that information, back to Mr. McFadden: “Conventional turbojet and turbofan engines can provide sufficient power to an aircraft during takeoff and landing at subsonic speeds. However, they cannot maintain hypersonic speeds. While there are jet engines that can propel a plane to hypersonic speeds, they cannot be used during takeoff and landing. For this, the SR-72 It requires an engine that can do both.”

“The program SR-72 is focused on developing a fully reusable turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) hypersonic propulsion system. This propulsion system is a type of air-breathing jet engine that combines the turbofan engines used in many modern tactical aircraft with a supersonic combustion ramjet (also known as a scramjet) that is capable of reaching and maintaining speeds in excess of Mach 5 e. even potentially exceeding Mach 10.”

Time will tell if this ultra-ambitious project actually comes to fruition by 2025… or at all, for that matter. But, as the old MasterCard television ads used to say in the 1980s, “Master the Possibilities.”