The US Air Force is working to develop a drone that can take off from the United States and reach Europe or Asia in 90 minutes.

Lockheed Martin, an aircraft manufacturer, has been designing surveillance and bombing drones that can fly at speeds of up to 7,400 km / h. From the US, it can reach Europe or Asia in an hour and a half. This future plan is reminiscent of other Cold War aircraft, with the U.S. military avoiding any cost.

Drones They are popular with all the forces that can buy them as big, ambitious engines, cheap flying weapons, or sniper drones that fit in a soldier’s hands. Although countries like Israel and Turkey come into this field, the United States remains one of the turning points for the development of new models.

Aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin He works for the U.S. Army on a brand new engine that can fly at 7,400 km / h. Departing from the United States, the drone will reach Europe within 90 minutes.

Can work anywhere in the world

The U.S. military-industrial company is still in the early stages of testing its engines, but such speed and autonomy could revolutionize the strategic deployment of U.S. drones. It is possible to drop aircraft carriers scattered across forward bases or seas around the world.

The drone will be used for intelligence and combat operations. Considering the autonomy it should have, we can expect a very large flying object.

Although we are still far from the real prototype, we already know that this drone will be called the SR-72. The futureஎன்பதால் Since the similarity with Lockheed Martin’s famous SR-71 Blackboard is no accident, it is undoubtedly a clue to its future design.

Blackbird, a valuable tradition

This large “black bird” with its clear photograph was a spy plane used by the US Air Force from 1968 to 1990. Equipped with electronics and spy sensors, it carried out long-range surveillance at high altitudes: it was capable of reaching the Mach 3, the fastest aircraft of its time, and allowed the missile to be out of range at an altitude of 20,000 meters.

But Blackbird soon became obsolete with the advancement of satellite perception. Only 32 were built. NASA used this aircraft for some time for test flight.

Twice as fast from 2030

Thus, its unmanned successor would fly twice as fast to carry out both intelligence and bombing missions, which could also use supersonic missiles. A machine that can theoretically hit anywhere in the world at the shortest notice, and will avoid followers with its sheer speed.

This is a major technical challenge because to reach speeds of up to 7,400 km / h, it requires the use of two types of motorization: conventional turbines for departure and flight, and ramjets for flight on the edge of space. The drone must be made of materials that can withstand such high acceleration and high temperatures. Lockheed Mart estimates that the SR-72 will fly in 2025 and be in service by 2030.

(am / ns)