Air Power

DARPA has a new drone you can barely hear. The XRQ-73 SHEPARD, built by Northrop Grumman, is a hybrid-electric aircraft in the roughly 1,250-pound class. Its engine generates electricity, which powers electric motors that turn the four ducted propellers. The idea is to cut the acoustic signature, making it harder to hear, while its small size and flying-wing design make it harder to see. The aircraft was originally expected to fly by the end of 2024, but it was delayed; it finally made its first flight this April. It features quiet operation, low fuel burn, plenty of electrical power for sensors, and it is environmentally friendly too 😀

An incredible shot of an AH-1G Cobra pulling out of a rocket run near Cao Lanh, Vietnam (January 22, 1969). The large craters from earlier bombing and artillery strikes are clearly visible. A remarkable snapshot of the Nam.

The F-35 has a customer problem, and it isn't about the jet! In March, Switzerland said it would buy about 30 F-35As instead of 36, as rising costs pushed the deal beyond its original voter-approved financial framework. Canada received its first two F-35s in October, but its planned order of 88 is still under review, with only the first 16 financially committed. Plus... 1/3

A top-secret WWII-era illustration comparing America's three principal strategic bombers: the B-17, B-24 and B-29. As you can see, the B-29 was almost twice as large, heavier and considerably more powerful than its peers. Its range and bomb-carrying capacity put it in a league of its own, making it the first "true" intercontinental strategic bomber. It was quite a leap!

Did you know the F-117's canopy is coated with a special radar-absorbent material to stop radar waves from entering the cockpit? Without it, the reflection from the pilot's helmet alone could have a larger radar signature than the entire aircraft!!!