Northrop Grumman "RQ-180"

According to follow up thread titled High altitude on Dreamland Resort the type of corridor indicates that it was a very high speed vehicle coming and going, and a need to avoid seismic detectors.

Why does Dreamland Resort not let you link directly to posts?
 
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Flyaway said:
According to follow up thread titled High altitude on Dreamland Resort the type of corridor indicates that it was a very high speed vehicle coming and going, and a need to avoid seismic detectors.

Why does Dreamland Resort not let you link directly to posts?
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What type could need this corridor ?
 
Anything special that would need to transit to the Pacific and hasn't reached or could not reach FL600.
For example, that could be simply a Northrop RQ-4.
 
TomcatViP said:
Anything special that would need to transit to the Pacific and hasn't reached or could not reach FL600.
For example, that could be simply a Northrop RQ-4.
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There is no need of a high speed isolate corridor to fly back a RQ-4, in direction of TTR.
 
I too don't see any specific indication of speed mentioned, though the altitudes are pretty explicit. Can an RQ-170 even hit those altitudes? I kinda think we can probably rule that one out. Even an RQ-4 seems more likely.
 
Josh_TN said:
I too don't see any specific indication of speed mentioned, though the altitudes are pretty explicit. Can an RQ-170 even hit those altitudes? I kinda think we can probably rule that one out. Even an RQ-4 seems more likely.
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Since RQ-4 flying did you see a restriction in this high altitude corridor ?
 
dark sidius said:
Josh_TN said:
I too don't see any specific indication of speed mentioned, though the altitudes are pretty explicit. Can an RQ-170 even hit those altitudes? I kinda think we can probably rule that one out. Even an RQ-4 seems more likely.
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Since RQ-4 flying did you see a restriction in this high altitude corridor ?
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I don't pay attention to such things enough to have an informed opinion. I agree that it is unlikely to be a plain jane RQ-4, since I know those operated out of Edwards a fair amount and I've not seen any articles about this level of restriction. Though it does make me wonder how they square RQ-4s with ATC. I'm guess this was some black project of some type. RQ-180 certainly would be a candidate.
 
Josh_TN said:
dark sidius said:
Josh_TN said:
I too don't see any specific indication of speed mentioned, though the altitudes are pretty explicit. Can an RQ-170 even hit those altitudes? I kinda think we can probably rule that one out. Even an RQ-4 seems more likely.
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Since RQ-4 flying did you see a restriction in this high altitude corridor ?
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I don't pay attention to such things enough to have an informed opinion. I agree that it is unlikely to be a plain jane RQ-4, since I know those operated out of Edwards a fair amount and I've not seen any articles about this level of restriction. Though it does make me wonder how they square RQ-4s with ATC. I'm guess this was some black project of some type. RQ-180 certainly would be a candidate.
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Possible candidate.
 
Over on NSF it’s been suggested it could be Stargazer which is rumoured to be doing some hypersonic support work being as it is already fitted out to carry and launch large solid rocket boosters. The corridor terminates as near Edwards as it does Tonopah where it has been flying out of. To me at least this seems a highly credible possibility.
 
Lc89 said:
Ngad?
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Doubtful. It isn't going to be supersonic and is probably flying out of Groom, there's plenty of area to go supersonic there. My guess is a Navy fighter accidentally broke the sound barrier. Even the article states that happened off the coast and the boom traveled that far. But having read the article, it could be weather related as well.
 
1. Groom (and TTR) are ghost towns on the weekends. They are basically closed. There are very rare exceptions when test work goes on during a weekend, those are easy to spot through unusual JANET traffic.

2. There is a RED FLAG exercise going on right now. There are a lot of things coming and going from the Nellis / NTTR ranges. Maybe this was related to that (i.e. an RQ-4 needed some space in all that traffic).
 

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Sorsogon would be exactly on the route from Guam to the Spratleys, so my bet is the photo is the RQ-180.

The Philippine air force detection in the north of the country could be a totally unrelated case. China has frequently flown similar profiles into the Taiwanese and Japanese air identification zones, making a chinese drone or fighter IMO the most simple explanation for that radar contact. I also doubt the US would be overflying a friendly sovereign country without some kind of coordination.
 
Manuducati said:
From the Facebook comments.
https://www.facebook.com/2041401379485445/posts/2807912886167620
View: https://www.facebook.com/2041401379485445/posts/2807912886167620/


EDIT: looks like "The DRIVE" is lurking here...
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...ng-aircraft-photographed-over-the-philippines
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That article gives the impression that if not now but soon their airspace must see stealthy drones going in both directions. US ones going towards China. And Chinese ones going in the opposite direction.
 
The fact that I’ve seen people online say this is the B-21, they are using the images released by the USAF, indicates how close the RQ-180 & B-21 must be in appearances at least from a distance.
 
coanda said:
Q-nimbus said:
I guess this is Shikaka’s lair:

13°37'55.1"N 144°51'57.2"E
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Yeah, home away from home. There was a drive story about a corridor being opened up to the pacific from Area 51 recently. I think it said it was for 'high speed' but I wonder if it was actually to get this out to Guam?
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It’s being tested in theatre so to speak then.
 
I was under the impression that these types of flights used a corridor near northern China since the IADs is lighter up there and it's closer to the sensitive PLA testing facilities.

If the picture is authentic, it could very well be part of the aggressive posturing going on between the US & China.
 
It’s certainly not hiding now with those contrails. Does that mean partial declassification is close I wonder, after all the RQ-170 put in a few appearances before it was revealed.
 
Heading Southwest from Sorsogon would give a nice view of the Spratleys Islands to the side looking sensors while staying roughly above Palawn island.
 
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