
USAF Unit Moves Reveal Clues to RQ-180 Ops Debut - x43b
https://aviationweek.com/defense/usaf-unit-moves-reveal-clues-rq-180-ops-debut
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neonate
[http://archive.is/Kvkzu](http://archive.is/Kvkzu)

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foolfoolz
even though they are different models, Iran captured a fully intact RQ-170
back in 2011

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran–U.S._RQ-170_incident](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran–U.S._RQ-170_incident)

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m0zg
"Claimed to have reverse engineered". LOL. I doubt even a US company with full
access to the most advanced ITAR controlled tech and equipment could produce
one, even if supplied with full blueprints, let alone "reverse engineered"
something like this. The thing took cumulatively several decades to figure
out. You can't reverse engineer it in a few months. USSR couldn't even reverse
engineer the downed U2, a much, much simpler plane, even though at the time it
was roughly on par with the US technologically. They struggled with it for a
couple of years and canceled the plane. They did use the material science in
some of their later planes though.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriev_S-13](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriev_S-13)

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goatinaboat
The article you link to suggests it was cancelled because satellites were
better able to fulfil its mission.

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m0zg
That's a solid excuse as excuses go, but remember that this was in the 60s,
and spy satellites had to send down landing capsules with _film_ back then,
and, therefore, had very limited usable life. They were also extremely
expensive, difficult to control, and the USSR wasn't really known for its
brilliance in optical tech.

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Causality1
I look forward to seeing the final model. Northrop Grumman usually puts out
ten times the performance per dollar of Lockmart or Boeing so even if this
ends up getting scrapped it isn't going to cost us a trillion dollars.

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starpilot
ok

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Poolecockler
Just stumbled upon this site whilst questioning my own accent. Born in Germany
to English parents (one a Geordie and one a Wiltshire lad). I have lived in
Benghazi (N. Africa) , Singapore, Germany and England. I have been told I
don't have an accent but I can mimic many. I now live in Dorset. Arrrr.

