SR-72

4 months ago
34

The jet in the movie, TOP GUN: MAVERICK, called the SR-72, looks like a Skunk Works concept art for a real uncrewed SR-72. The hypersonic strategic reconnaissance aircraft, first announced in 2016, had a long blended wing, fuselage, and tiny wings. The Skunk Works logo can be seen on the tail fin. Former Lockheed CEO Marilyn Hewson once described the plane as a Mach 6-capable jet.
Maverick’s SR-72 shares many similarities with a rendering that Lockheed Martin released on its website, including the Skunk Works logo on the tail. One part of the plane that looks different is the pilot’s cockpit window on the left and right of the Darkstar, while the real-world concept plane is said to be uncrewed and would not need a window.
The SR-72 actually exists, the interest in hyper-sonic aircraft is genuine. The European company Destinus is trying to build a hybrid hyper-sonic plane. The airplane combines hydrogen-fueled air-breathing turbojet engines for takeoff, landing, and flights at subsonic and supersonic speeds along with a rocket engine that will boost the aircraft to hyper-sonic speeds.
Hyper-sonic missiles are also getting a lot of attention, with Russia recently using its Kinzhal weapons to hit command centers in Ukraine. The highly maneuverable air-launched missile flies at Mach 5 in order to evade defenses.

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