Secret Advanced Vehicles Demonstrate Technologies for Future Military Use

SECRET ADVANCED VEHICLES DEMONSTRATE TECHNOLOGIES FOR FUTURE MILITARY USE

Advanced secret aircraft developed at highly classified government facilities in the Nevada desert over the last decade are demonstrating and validating new technologies for the U.S.'s future fighters, bombers and reconnaissance platforms.

Although facilities in remote areas of the Southwest have been home to classified vehicles for decades, the number and sophistication of new aircraft appear to have increased sharply over the last 10 years, when substantial funding was made available for "deep black" projects.

Vehicles now flying from these well-guarded sites include both manned and unmanned hypersonic-capable aircraft designed to perform strategic reconnaissance and other, less conventionally defined missions. The classified fleet also comprises a number of large-winged concept demonstrators that evolved into the Air Force's B-2 bomber and the Navy's A-12 next-generation attack aircraft. Several vehicles, though, appear to incorporate technologies that outstrip those now employed by engineers charged with developing more traditional, current-generation aircraft.

A number of these aircraft have been seen and heard repeatedly by ground- based and airborne observers in the western U.S. over the last few years. Based on about 45 reports provided by people who have seen, heard or had access to the advanced aircraft, there now appear to be at least two - but probably more - distinct types of vehicles!

* A triangular-shaped, *quiet* aircraft seen with a flight of Lockheed F-117A stealth fighters several times since the summer of 1989. This may be a demonstrator or prototype of the General Dynamics/McDonnell Douglas A-12. Navy officials recently noted that full-size test models will soon be "exposed to public view" during testing, suggesting that predecessors of the A-12 are already flying.

* A high-speed aircraft characterized by a very loud, deep, rumbling roar reminiscent of heavy-lift rockets. When observed at medium altitude, this aircraft type often makes a pulsing sound and leaves a thick, segmented smoke trail or contrail. Lighting patterns indicate the aircraft is on the order of 100+ ft. long, but no reliable description of a planform has been reported to Aviation Week & Space Technology.

* A high-altitude aircraft that crosses the night sky at extremely high speed. Normally, *no engine noise or sonic boom is heard*. The vehicle typically is observed as a single, *bright light* - sometimes pulsating - flying at speeds far exceeding other aircraft in the area, and at altitudes estimated to be above 50,000 ft. Such aircraft have been reported by both ground-based and airborne observers. This may be the same vehicle as the one characterized by a loud, pulsing noise when flying at lower altitude and slower speed...

...These primary types of "black" aircraft appear to employ relatively conventional propulsion systems, although more advanced than those available to the "white" world. In addition, there is substantial evidence that another family of craft exists that relies on *exotic propulsion and aerodynamic schemes not fully understood at this time*. Data pertaining to this type of vehicle are being studied by Aviation Week and several consultants.

The variety of highly classified "black world" aircraft has prompted industry experts to suggest that the term "Aurora," which has been used in reference to a purported new classified hypersonic aircraft, may be inappropriate. Instead, Aurora may be one of several code names, all referring to a class of aircraft designed for multiple missions.

A line item identified as "Aurora" in a Fiscal 1986 Procurement Program document dated Feb. 4, 1985, supposedly was simply one "site" for B-2 bomber funds when that program was highly classified, according to a government official. Listed under the "Other Aircraft" category, "Aurora" was projected to receive sharply increased funding. The Fiscal 1986 budget request for Aurora - $80.1 million - jumped to $2.272 billion in Fiscal 1987, according to the document.