The SHEPARD program, described as an “X-prime” initiative, aims to advance the development of long-endurance aircraft by integrating emerging technologies to reduce system-level risks. “The idea behind a DARPA X-prime program is to take emerging technologies and burn down system-level integration risks to quickly mature a new missionized long endurance aircraft design that can be fielded quickly,” stated Steve Komadina, the SHEPARD program manager. “The SHEPARD program is maturing a specific propulsion architecture and power class as an exemplar of potential benefits for the Department of Defense.”

The SHEPARD program leverages the series hybrid electric architecture and components from the previous AFRL/IARPA Great Horned Owl (GHO) project. The initiative is a collaborative effort, involving members from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and various military personnel.

Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Aeronautics Systems sector, based in Redondo Beach, CA, serves as the prime contractor for the SHEPARD program. Key contributors include Scaled Composites, LLC, Cornerstone Research Group, Inc., Brayton Energy, LLC, PC Krause and Associates, and EaglePicher Technologies, LLC.

The XRQ-73 is categorized as a Group 3 UAS, with an approximate weight of 1,250 pounds. The first flight of the XRQ-73 is anticipated by the end of 2024, marking a crucial step in advancing the capabilities of hybrid-electric aircraft within the Department of Defense.

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The post DARPA Announces Newest X-plane: XRQ-73 first appeared on The Black Vault.

This document is a study on the effects of the allied bombardment campaign on the German air force. It starts by giving the original composition of the German air force (mostly bombers and dive bombers). The battle of Britain and the Russian front taught them that bombers without fighter protection are very vulnerable. Item discusses fighter production, aircraft production in general, and the effects of USAAF (united states army air forces) attacks on: German tank production; the bearing industry; oil and the synthetic oil and gasoline plants (big USASF problem, as there were some 81 plants dispersed); and armament factories, motor transportation, and chemicals. Discusses the German forces committed to static defense. There are statistics on German gasoline production by month from April 1944 through January 1945.

Document Archive

American Bombardment and the German Air Force, Circa 1945 [37 Pages, 15MB]

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The Naval Research Advisory Committee (NRAC) Panel was requested to undertake a rapid review of the laser threat to Navy and Marine Corps aviation to reassess the threat, the adequacy of Operational Requirements (OR) to develop means to protect against it, to review present Navy protection programs
and the Research and Development (R&D) organization, and to make recommendations for broader R&D leading to the development of protection against the emerging frequency agile threat.

There are a variety of friendly and hostile lasers currently developed by military forces in the form of laser range finders and designators. Some of the Soviet lasers may have power levels unwarranted by range finder or designator applications, but it is not known whether these are intended as anti-personnel weapons. Laser radiation has been experienced by u.s. flight crews flying reconnaissance missions. While there are several different damage mechanisms (discussed in this report), present lasers can cause eye damage at ranges up to a few miles. However, they can cause a •dazzle• effect at greater ranges (particularly at night) when illumination of a cockpit and the scattering of light results in the inability of the crew to perform its mission and can result in the loss of the aircraft. The panel concluded that the laser threat is growing and whether intentionally used as anti-personnel weapons or causing damage only accidentally, lasers must be considered a growing anti-personnel threat against which protection should be provided. The naval aviators most exposed to this threat are the air-to-surface attack aircraft and the Marine aircraft and helicopter crews supporting ground combat.

The document below was listed as classified on the Navy’s website, so in July of 2017, I filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request to get it declassified, and in September of 2017, the record was released.

Document Archive

 Report of the Naval Research Advisory Committee Panel on Laser Eye Protection, April 1988 [84 Pages, 12.4MB]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/navy/LaserEyeProtection-April1988.pdf

The post Report of the Naval Research Advisory Committee Panel on Laser Eye Protection, April 1988 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Low-flying aircraft causing concern in Quincy

By Jessica Bartlett, Town Correspondent, Boston.com

 

A small, low-flying aircraft has been causing a fuss in Quincy this week, with many unanswered questions about what the aircraft is doing and who is operating it.

 

“It is a sanctioned flight by the FAA,” said Quincy Police Captain John Dougan, but that’s all the information he could give.

 

Dougan said the Police Department had received about half a dozen phone calls in the past week about the aircraft, which was humming loudly over residents’ heads at odd hours.

 

Despite the resident concerns, information has been limited.

 

Jim Peters, a public affairs spokesperson with the FAA, confirmed they knew about the aircraft but also declined to comment on what it was. “We’re not releasing anything beyond that,” he said. (The Full Article Source)

All documents from the FAA regarding this incident [4 Pages, 640kb]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/defenseissues/quincyacftemails.pdf

The post Low-flying aircraft causing concern in Quincy (May, 2013) first appeared on The Black Vault.

Project Isinglass was the code name given to two heavily classified, manned reconnaissance aircraft studied by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as potential replacements for the Lockheed A-12 and SR-71 during the mid 1960s.

The first proposal under the Isinglass name, a high-altitude plane to fly at Mach 4 to 5, was considered an insufficient advancement over existing aircraft; the second, much more advanced design, sometimes referred to as Project Rheinberry, was an air-launched, Mach 20 rocket-powered boost-glide aircraft that would use a very-high-altitude trajectory to avoid defenses. This aircraft was considered too costly for development, and the project was abandoned in 1967.

Below, are documents received about Project Isinglass.

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Documents

 ISINGLASS Research & Development Program, 1966 [125 Pages, 14.5MB]

The post Project Isinglass first appeared on The Black Vault.