Unveiling the ‘Beast of Kandahar’

[unhappycamper]

Unveiling the ‘Beast of Kandahar’
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Dec 20, 2009 11:41:20 EST

Secret plane? What secret plane? Oh, that secret plane.

If you passed through Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan and thought you saw a plane that looked something like a miniature version of the stealth B-2 Spirit bomber, you weren’t seeing things.

The Air Force now acknowledges it has flown a stealthy remote-controlled aircraft called the RQ-170 Sentinel out of Kandahar.

For two years, the RQ-170 has been the Air Force’s Bigfoot. Photos and drawings of the stealthy UAV, also called the “Beast of Kandahar,” have surfaced, producing shrugs and no-comments from service officials. In early December, a clear photograph of the jet’s left side appeared on aviation Web sites, perhaps prompting the Air Force to ’fess up.

Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Program — better known as Skunk Works in Palmdale, Calif. — built the RQ-170. Like the Air Force, Lockheed refused to discuss details about the plane’s performance and capacities.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/12/airforce_beast_122009/