Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division is developing the 'Son of the Blackbird' (illustrated above). The engines will use a hybrid system to reach hypersonic speeds, enabling the aircraft to cross an entire continent in an hour. The air friction of this speed alone could melt steel, so the SR-72 is likely to be made of composite materials, similar to those used for space shuttles and missiles
Daily Mail: Spies in the sky: The top secret military technology found in covert planes that could be watching YOU at this very moment
* Famous Cold War spy plane the U-2 is still going strong and currently works for Nasa conducting atmospheric tests
* Lockheed Martin's 'Son of Blackbird' will use a hybrid system to cross an entire continent in an hour
* Bulging 'Global Hawk' drone looks less conventional and could carry our pre-programmed missions
* TR-X - another Lockheed invention - is set to combine best spy plane technology and could be airborne by 2030
Before the advent of the Lockheed U-2, gaining intelligence about the Soviet Union’s secretive actions during the Cold War was almost impossible for surveillance planes flying low over Russia.
But the U-2 spy plane, which was able to fly out of reach of enemy fighters and missiles and take detailed aerial photographs of airfields, factories and shipyards, was a game changer.
Knowledge is power, and these images proved to the US that there was no immediate threat and so a deadly arms race - and potential nuclear war - was averted.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: This is even above what George Orwell's 1984 predicted.
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