Lockheed HTV-X2 BLACKSWIFT

DARPA’s Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2) program is a multiyear research and development effort to increase the technical knowledge base and advance critical technologies to make long-duration hypersonic flight a reality.

Data from the program informs policy, acquisition, and operations decisions for future Department of Defense Conventional Prompt Global Strike programs. Hypersonic data is collected through extensive modeling and simulation, wind-tunnel testing and two experimental flight tests. The ultimate goal is a capability that can reach anywhere in the world in less than an hour.

Falcon HTV-2 is an unmanned, rocket-launched, maneuverable aircraft that glides through the Earth’s atmosphere at incredibly fast speeds—Mach 20 (approximately 13,000 miles per hour). At HTV-2 speeds, flight time between New York City and Los Angeles would be less than 12 minutes. The HTV-2 vehicle is a “data truck” with numerous sensors that collect data in an uncertain operating envelope.

Mastery of three key technical challenges stands between the DoD and long-duration hypersonic flight: Aerodynamics; Aerothermal effects; and critical guidance, navigation and control.

HTV-2 flew its maiden flight on April 22, 2010, collecting nine minutes of unique flight data, including 139 seconds of Mach 22 to Mach 17 aerodynamic data.

Flight one achieved many “firsts”:

Deployed largest number of sea, land, air and space data collection assets in support of hypersonic flight test

NOTE: If you activated the TBCC, it will accelarate rapidly so also activate the RCS for better controll. I've added the fuselage some Stability modifier to 15 to prevent self tilt. This thing has a heat issue so PLS if you have sandbox bundle, activate the no heat damage cheat. Staying hypersonic flight for too long will break the craft if no " " no heat damage" cheat is not activated