billd@uunet.UU.NET (William Daul) (03/07/91)
From: infmx!billd@uunet.UU.NET (William Daul) I heard this was one of the super-secret black projects. Does anyone out there know (or think they know) anything about it? Your comments are always welcome! --Bi((
chrisj@emx.utexas.edu (Chris Johnson) (03/13/91)
From: ut-emx!chrisj@emx.utexas.edu (Chris Johnson)
In article <1991Mar7.012714.29239@cbnews.att.com> infmx!billd@uunet.UU.NET
(William Daul) requested any information on a black project named "Aurora".
Everything I know (or think I know) comes from Aviation Week articles. If
they are of interest, here's a few relevant portions of an article from
the October 1, 1990 issue, pp. 20-21. (Reproduced without permission.)
"The variety of highly classified 'black-world' aircraft has prompted
industry experts to suggest that the term 'Aurora,' which has been
used in reference to a purported new classified hypersonic aircraft,
may be inappropriate. Instead, Aurora may be one of several code
names 'nested' within other code names, all referring to a class of
aircraft designed for multiple missions.
A line item identified as 'Aurora' in a Fiscal 1986 Procurement Pro-
gram document dated Feb. 4, 1985, supposedly was simply one 'site'
for B-2 bomber funds when that program was highly classified, accord-
ing to a government official. Listed under the 'Other Aircraft' cat-
egory, 'Aurora' was projected to receive sharply increased funding.
The Fiscal 1986 budget request for Aurora--$80.1 million--jumped to
$2.272 billion in Fiscal 1987, according to the document.
Because it was under a strategic reconnaissance section, the Aurora
reference was widely thought to be a subtle admission that an SR-71
replacement was under development. However, given the B-2 funding
practices of the time, the Aurora name may not have been related to
a new hypersonic aircraft as originally believed. The Air Force has
yet to provide a detailed breakdown of B-2 costs."
If the Aurora name *is* actually related to a new hypersonic aircraft,
the following additional AW&ST articles may also be of interest: Dec. 18,
1989, p. 42; Dec. 24, 1990, pp. 41-44. If even half of what these articles
discuss is true, Aurora is quite a piece of work.
----Chris (Johnson)
----chrisj@emx.utexas.edufsfrick@bones.lerc.nasa.gov (David Fricker) (03/13/91)
From: fsfrick@bones.lerc.nasa.gov (David Fricker) In article <1991Mar7.012714.29239@cbnews.att.com> infmx!billd@uunet.UU.NET (William Daul) writes: >I heard this was one of the super-secret black projects. >Does anyone out there know (or think they know) anything >about it? Your comments are always welcome! The best knowledge I have of Project Aurora is that Aurora is a high-speed (Mach ~5) recon drone built by Lockheed (naturally). I picked this up from a book or two on stealth technology. (Sorry, can't remember the titles and neither is handy right now.) I imagine that Jane's carries more information. (Now I have an excuse to peruse that wealth of information.) Hope this helps. david fricker -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- David Fricker | phone: 216-433-5960 NASA Lewis Research Center | M.S. 5-11 Cleveland, Ohio 44135 | email: fsfrick@bones.lerc.nasa.gov
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (03/13/91)
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) >From: infmx!billd@uunet.UU.NET (William Daul) >I heard this was one of the super-secret black projects. >Does anyone out there know (or think they know) anything >about it? ... A reference to it slipped past censorship of a budget document a few years ago. Based on that, it is (or was) the intended successor to the SR-71. Nothing has been heard of it since. Lockheed will assure you, if asked, that the only "Aurora" they build is the Canadian variant of the P-3 Orion. -- "But this *is* the simplified version | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology for the general public." -S. Harris | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry
wb9omc@ee.ecn.purdue.edu (Duane P Mantick) (03/18/91)
From: wb9omc@ee.ecn.purdue.edu (Duane P Mantick) infmx!billd@uunet.UU.NET (William Daul) writes: >I heard this was one of the super-secret black projects. >Does anyone out there know (or think they know) anything >about it? Your comments are always welcome! Not a lot of people know very much about it at all. It may be the real project name; it may be a cover name. In theory, at least, it has something to do with a Mach 6+ (@125,000+ feet) strategic recon. airframe which may or may not be unmanned. One Pentagon person who wished not to be identified said it might be well after 2000 before the general public finds anything out about it. This may also be smokescreen. We DO know that there are some REAL fast things zipping around the desert southwest these days....... Duane