SR-72 Yes you read that right.

[curry1]

Apparently Lockheed has been making some plans behind the scenes for a Mach 6 capable replacement for the famous Blackbird.  Probably will never come into fruition but still a very cool concept.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=%2Farticle-xml%2Fawx_11_01_2013_p0-632731.xml&p=1

[rogwar]

Aurora!

[mechanic]

Doesn't look as sexy as the 71 but that is still very cool

[Volron]

Doesn't look as sexy as the 71 but that is still very cool

I'd like to see how it looks on the ground before I really can comment.  I mean, with the SR-71, it looks like it's doing Mach 3 just SITTING there.

[BuckShot]

Must have a stall speed of at least 200 mph

[tmetal]

after cruising around at mach 6, 200mph might look like sitting still to the pilot. I wonder how they plan to address the heating/expansion and cooling/contraction of the outer skin. It was a difficult problem for the builders of the sr-71 to resolve and now they are shooting for double the top end speed with the sr-72; it will be interesting to see the advances to daily technology that could come if this project is achived.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

after cruising around at mach 6, 200mph might look like sitting still to the pilot. I wonder how they plan to address the heating/expansion and cooling/contraction of the outer skin. It was a difficult problem for the builders of the sr-71 to resolve and now they are shooting for double the top end speed with the sr-72; it will be interesting to see the advances to daily technology that could come if this project is achived.

Ceramic skin...

[hlbly]

I'd like to see how it looks on the ground before I really can comment.  I mean, with the SR-71, it looks like it's doing Mach 3 just SITTING there.

If you ignored the leaking fuel all around it.

[Shifty]

after cruising around at mach 6, 200mph might look like sitting still to the pilot. I wonder how they plan to address the heating/expansion and cooling/contraction of the outer skin. It was a difficult problem for the builders of the sr-71 to resolve and now they are shooting for double the top end speed with the sr-72; it will be interesting to see the advances to daily technology that could come if this project is achived.

It may not even have a pilot they may make it a drone.

[tmetal]

It may not even have a pilot they may make it a drone.

I didn't even think about that. I would bet that making it a drone would be more probable than not

[Arlo]

I didn't even think about that. I would bet that making it a drone would be more probable than not

I'm with you, if it ever comes to pass.

[NatCigg]

got to ask, how long from la to ny?

[DMGOD]

got to ask, how long from la to ny?

approx 0.53638937665 hours

[HPriller]

This is pretty graphics concept nonsense that will never come to fruition.  The SR-71 had a real purpose and thus reason to be funded during the cold war.  What would be the point of this new thing?  Other than being just another multibillion dollar technology demonstrator.   'Murica can't afford such a thing.  Meanwhile, Lockheed's track record for the past couple decades has been downright dismal.  I have to wonder where we'd be at this point with regard to the JSF if the Boeing variant had been selected instead.