21 Aug, 2024

Defense News Aerospace 2024

2024年8月21日

国防新闻航空2024

 

On July 29, 2024, Aviation Week reported that Lockheed Martin’s classified program, likely related to the SR-72 hypersonic aircraft, encountered a budget overrun of $45 million in the second quarter of 2024. This financial update was detailed in Lockheed Martin’s quarterly report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on July 23, 2024. The total losses associated with this unnamed classified program have now reached approximately $335 million since 2022, highlighting the financial challenges faced during the project’s development.

2024年7月29日，《航空周刊》报道称，洛克希德·马丁公司的机密项目可能与SR-72高超音速飞机有关，在2024年第二季度预算超支4500万美元。洛克希德·马丁公司于2024年7月23日向美国证券交易委员会（SEC）提交的季度报告中详细介绍了这一财务更新。自2022年以来，与这个未命名的机密项目相关的总花费已达到约3.35亿美元，突显了该项目开发过程中面临的财务挑战。

 

In 2021, a US Air Force video revealed a digital rendering of a hypersonic jet, potentially the SR-72 FRV, known as the “Son of the Blackbird.” (Picture source: PACE)

2021年，美国空军的一段视频显示了一架高超音速喷气式飞机的数字渲染，可能是被称为“黑鸟之子”的SR-72 FRV。（图片来源：PACE）

 

Lockheed Martin's challenges and investment in the SR-72 program

洛克希德·马丁公司在SR-72项目中的挑战和投资

 

These budget overruns, coupled with "advanced procurement costs," suggest that Lockheed Martin is making substantial investments in the SR-72 project, potentially advancing it toward operational status. However, the company has acknowledged the uncertainties involved in such programs, emphasizing the variability in cost and time estimates, along with the technical challenges that can arise within the company and among its suppliers. These factors contribute to the financial risks Lockheed Martin is managing in this complex project.

这些预算超支，再加上“预采购成本”，表明洛克希德·马丁公司正在对SR-72项目进行大量投资，有可能将其推向可操作状态。然而，该公司承认此类项目存在不确定性，强调成本和时间估算的可变性，以及公司内部及其供应商之间可能出现的技术挑战。这些因素导致了洛克希德·马丁公司在这个复杂项目中管理的财务风险。

 

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing noted that the classified program within Lockheed’s Aeronautics business segment has faced periodic performance issues, primarily due to the complex design and systems integration challenges typical of advanced aerospace projects. These challenges are similar to those encountered during the development of the SR-71 Blackbird, adding to speculation that this project may involve the SR-72, a hypersonic aircraft or a similar high-speed vehicle.

美国证券交易委员会（SEC）的文件指出，洛克希德航空业务部门的机密项目面临着周期性的性能问题，主要是由于先进航空航天项目典型的复杂设计和系统集成挑战。这些挑战与SR-71黑鸟开发过程中遇到的挑战相似，增加了人们对该项目可能涉及SR-72、高超音速飞机或类似高速飞行器的猜测。

 

In the second quarter of 2024, Lockheed Martin reported an additional $45 million loss, attributed to higher-than-expected costs necessary to maintain program objectives. The company continues to monitor technical requirements, the remaining work, potential changes in scope or schedule, and the estimated costs to complete the program. Further losses may be recorded in future periods if additional performance issues, scope increases, or cost escalations occur. Lockheed Martin appears to anticipate that the Pentagon will recognize the strategic importance of this platform and may provide the necessary funding to offset these losses—a strategy previously observed within the company’s Skunk Works division, known for developing advanced aircraft aligned with projected military needs, sometimes before securing formal contracts.

2024年第二季度，洛克希德·马丁公司报告了额外的4500万美元花费，原因是维持项目目标所需的成本高于预期。公司继续监控技术要求、剩余工作、范围或进度的潜在变化以及完成该计划的估计成本。如果出现额外的性能问题、范围扩大或成本上升，未来可能会记录进一步的损失。洛克希德·马丁公司似乎预计，五角大楼将认识到该平台的战略重要性，并可能提供必要的资金来抵消这些损失——这是该公司臭鼬工厂部门以前观察到的一种策略，该部门以开发符合预计军事需求的先进飞机而闻名，有时甚至在获得正式合同之前。

 

The SR-71 Blackbird was developed as a black project by Lockheed's Skunk Works division in the 1960s, based on the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft. (Picture source: US DoD)

SR-71黑鸟是洛克希德公司臭鼬工厂部门在20世纪60年代基于洛克希德A-12侦察机开发的一个黑色项目。（图片来源：美国国防部）

 

Additional evidences of SR-72's existence and program advancements

SR-72存在和项目进展的其他证据

 

Since 2021, there have been indications that a large-scale production program, potentially linked to the SR-72, is underway at Lockheed’s Skunk Works division. In August 2021, Lockheed opened a new production facility at Skunk Works headquarters in Palmdale, California, known as Building 648. This facility, where much of the SR-72 development is believed to be taking place, was designed to streamline aircraft production using advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics. At the facility’s opening, Lockheed noted its ability to 3D-print composite aerostructures and assemble them using non-deterministic structural methods—technological advances that were not available during the development of the SR-71 Blackbird.

自2021年以来，有迹象表明，洛克希德公司的臭鼬工厂部门正在进行一项可能与SR-72相关的大规模生产计划。2021年8月，洛克希德公司在加利福尼亚州帕姆代尔的臭鼬工厂总部开设了一个新的生产设施，名为648号楼。据信，SR-72的大部分开发工作都在这里进行，该设施旨在利用人工智能和机器人等先进技术简化飞机生产。在该设施的开幕式上，洛克希德公司指出，它有能力3D打印复合材料飞机结构，并使用非确定性结构方法进行组装——这是SR-71黑鸟开发期间所没有的技术进步。

 

In 2022, Lockheed Martin reported a $225 million pre-tax loss related to a classified aeronautics program. This program was later linked to the SR-72, suggesting that the SR-72 may be transitioning from development to low-rate production.

2022年，洛克希德·马丁公司报告称，与一项机密航空项目有关的税前亏损为2.25亿美元。该计划后来与SR-72联系在一起，表明SR-72可能正在从开发过渡到低速率生产。

 

Additional evidence of the SR-72’s progression appeared on May 31, 2022, when Safran Landing Systems Canada Inc. announced a contract from Lockheed to design and qualify a landing gear structure for a "future aircraft," involving a clean-sheet design of the nose and main landing gear. The requirement to design new landing gear is typically associated with production programs rather than one-off demonstrators, suggesting that the project is in an advanced stage and possibly nearing production readiness.

2022年5月31日，赛峰加拿大股份有限公司宣布与洛克希德公司签订合同，设计并鉴定“未来飞机”的起落架结构，包括机头和主起落架的清洁设计，这进一步证明了SR-72的进展。设计新起落架的要求通常与生产计划有关，而不是一次性演示，这表明该项目处于后期阶段，可能接近生产准备就绪。

 

Moreover, the workforce at Lockheed’s Palmdale facility has expanded significantly, with over 5,500 employees reported as of September 2023, more than doubling since 2018. John Clark, the general manager of Skunk Works, confirmed that production had resumed, though he did not specify the project being built. This increase in workforce and the resumption of production activities may indicate that Lockheed is engaged in a significant production phase, possibly for the SR-72 or a related project.

此外，洛克希德公司棕榈谷工厂的员工人数大幅增加，截至2023年9月，员工人数已超过5500人，自2018年以来翻了一番多。臭鼬工厂总经理约翰·克拉克证实，生产已经恢复，但他没有具体说明正在建设的项目。劳动力的增加和生产活动的恢复可能表明洛克希德公司正处于一个重要的生产阶段，可能是SR-72或相关项目。

 

Further indications about the SR-72 emerged in late 2023 when Vago Muradian, editor-in-chief of Defense & Aerospace Report, mentioned a highly advanced reconnaissance aircraft developed by Skunk Works that had already been delivered. This aircraft, believed to be the SR-72, is reportedly undergoing re-scoping to address technical challenges, a process that aligns with the budgetary overruns reported by Lockheed Martin.

关于SR-72的进一步迹象出现在2023年底，当时国防和航空航天报告的主编瓦戈·穆拉迪安提到臭鼬公司开发的高度先进的侦察机已经交付。这架飞机，据信是SR-72，据报道正在进行重新界定，以解决技术挑战，这一过程与洛克希德·马丁公司报告的预算超支相一致。

 

The SR-72 program in the context of US' Long-Range Strike Capabilities

美国远程打击能力背景下的SR-72项目

 

The origins of the SR-72 project, often referred to as the "Son of Blackbird," can be traced back to November 2013, when Aviation Week’s Senior Editor, Guy Norris, reported that Skunk Works was developing a hypersonic successor to the SR-71 Blackbird, known as the SR-72, to meet the U.S. military’s need for rapid-response reconnaissance and strike capabilities. Following increased geopolitical tensions, particularly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced new hypersonic weapons, the SR-72 program’s details became more opaque, leading to speculation that the project had entered a classified phase.

SR-72项目的起源，通常被称为“黑鸟之子”，可以追溯到2013年11月，当航空周的高级编辑，盖伊·诺里斯报道，臭鼬工厂正在开发一个高超音速继承SR-71黑鸟，称为SR-72，以满足美国军方对快速反应侦察和打击能力的需要。随着地缘政治紧张局势的加剧，特别是在俄罗斯总统普京宣布使用新的高超音速武器之后，SR-72项目的细节变得更加不透明，导致了对该项目已进入机密阶段的猜测。

 

Therefore, the SR-72 is likely to fit within the broader framework of a Long-Range Strike Family of Systems, which was first outlined in 2010 and further developed by Maj. Gen. Dave Scott in 2021. This system would likely include the B-21 Raider, a new bomber developed from the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) program, as well as a new cruise missile, a hypersonic missile (potentially the Mako, another Lockheed Martin project), and other systems such as the Penetrating Stand-in Airborne Electronic Attack (P-AEA) and Penetrating Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (P-ISR) systems.

因此，SR-72很可能符合远程打击系统家族的更广泛框架，该家族于2010年首次提出，并于2021年由戴夫·斯科特少将进一步发展。该系统可能包括B-21袭击者，一种从远程打击轰炸机（LRS-B）计划开发的新型轰炸机，以及一种新型巡航导弹、一种高超音速导弹（可能是洛克希德·马丁公司的另一个项目Mako）和其他系统，如穿透式机载电子攻击（P-AEA）和穿透式情报、监视和侦察（P-ISR）系统。

 

Propulsion and performance capabilities of the SR-72

SR-72的推进和性能

 

The SR-72 concept is reported to be powered by a turbine-based, combined-cycle propulsion system, including both a turbofan and a scramjet. By 2017, Norris suggested that the technology had advanced to the point where flight testing was possible, with an F-22-sized, optionally piloted vehicle ready to enter development. Unlike its predecessor, which was limited to reconnaissance missions, the SR-72 is designed to serve as both an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) asset and a strike platform.

据报道，SR-72概念由基于涡轮机的联合循环推进系统提供动力，包括涡扇发动机和超燃冲压发动机。到2017年，诺里斯表示，这项技术已经发展到可以进行飞行测试的地步，一架F-22大小的、可选择有人驾驶的飞行器已经准备好进入开发阶段。与其仅限于侦察任务的前身不同，SR-72的设计既是情报、监视和侦察（ISR）资产，也是打击平台。

 

According to available information, the SR-72 will be powered by an innovative turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) engine, which integrates a traditional turbine engine with a scramjet, allowing it to transition from subsonic to supersonic to hypersonic speeds, potentially reaching Mach 6 or higher—twice the speed of the SR-71, which flew at Mach 3.2.

根据现有信息，SR-72将由一种创新的基于涡轮的联合循环（TBCC）发动机提供动力，该发动机将传统的涡轮发动机与超燃冲压发动机集成在一起，使其能够从亚音速过渡到超音速再到高超音速，可能达到6马赫或更高，是SR-71速度的两倍，SR-71以3.2马赫的速度飞行。

 

By 2018, Lockheed Martin had reportedly completed testing on the TBCC propulsion system, and there were reports of a prototype, known as the Flight Research Vehicle (FRV) and associated with the SR-72, being tested over Palmdale, California.

据报道，到2018年，洛克希德·马丁公司已经完成了TBCC推进系统的测试，有报道称，一种名为飞行研究飞行器（FRV）的原型正在加利福尼亚州帕姆代尔进行测试。

 

The SR-72 project faces significant technical challenges, particularly in materials science, due to the extreme temperatures the aircraft would encounter at hypersonic speeds. Lockheed Martin has indicated confidence in addressing these challenges, drawing on their experience with DARPA’s Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2), which provided relevant insights applicable to the SR-72.

SR-72项目面临着重大的技术挑战，特别是在材料科学方面，因为飞机在高超音速飞行时会遇到极端温度。洛克希德·马丁公司表示有信心应对这些挑战，并借鉴了他们在DARPA高超音速技术飞行器2（HTV-2）方面的经验，该飞行器提供了适用于SR-72的相关见解。

 

As the hypersonic arms race intensifies, with competitors like Atlanta-based startup Hermeus also pursuing similar technologies, it seems increasingly likely that the United States will field a reusable hypersonic aircraft in the near future. Lockheed Martin’s involvement in the SR-72 development and production could position the company as a significant player in this emerging field. If brought into service, the SR-72 could provide the U.S. military with enhanced capabilities in both reconnaissance and strike operations compared to the SR-71, with an expected service entry by 2030.

随着高超音速军备竞赛的加剧，总部位于亚特兰大的初创公司Hermeus等竞争对手也在追求类似的技术，美国在不久的将来部署可重复使用的高超音速飞机的可能性似乎越来越大。洛克希德·马丁公司参与SR-72的开发和生产，可能会使该公司成为这一新兴领域的重要参与者。如果投入使用，与SR-71相比，SR-72可以为美军提供更强的侦察和打击作战能力，预计到2030年将投入使用。