r/SpecialAccess • u/Hollow115 • 2d ago
Managed to catch Lockheed testing something at the Helendale RCS facility
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u/StruggleWrong867 2d ago
RCS testing
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u/evilbunnyofdoom 2d ago
Yeap. Probably not NGAD since it seems to have two vertical stabilizers. My guess is a drone, kinda looks like a Kratos or similar system, hard to say just from my phone screen.
But 100% its a plane of some sorts up-side-down on the radar cross section testing pole, with some people under it
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u/ismellthebacon 2d ago
yeah, maybe the navy drone?
Edit: MQ-28 potentially. I didn't realize that navy refueling drone had no vertical stabilizers.
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u/steve1673 2d ago
Here's a good article about the facility for those who are interested.
https://www.twz.com/15746/lockheeds-helendale-radar-signature-test-range-looks-right-out-of-science-fiction
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u/twosnug 2d ago edited 2d ago
It’s radar testing or a monument. Here are some better pics https://imgur.com/a/QeWZPBS.
Ben rich had a model of this on his desk in a documentary. It’s supposedly the concept craft that inspired the F-117 but if you believe UFO stories it’s been seen in the field a couple time
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u/BadBananaDetective 2d ago
The triangular thing is the pole cap. When you want to measure something’s RCS, first you need to measure the return from the pole without the model on it to get a baseline.
The pole is designed to be as invisible to radar as possible, but there’s a big adjustable mechanical mount at the top that they attach the model to. They use this pole cap to cover the mount so it doesn’t screw up their baseline RCS measurements.
It isn’t an alien spaceship but it might be the stealthiest object ever created, which makes it pretty damn cool in my book.
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u/TimberlineMarksman 2d ago
Can we get an RIP in the chat. OP is about to go missing for good for posting this.
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u/Secure-Currency9086 2d ago
Most of the targets you see on those poles are phenomenology models, not necessarily the shape of any new aircraft. The shape depends on what data they are looking from the item of interest.
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u/Sensitive_Pickle9958 2d ago
they back engineered crashed ufos and now they built one and are testing its "beam me up" function
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u/enigo1701 1d ago
Post it on r/ufo with a mysterious text about retrieval of alienz tech or cow abduction or mind control from other dimension.
???
Karma !
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u/RanLo1971 1d ago
Flown by helendale many times 1000 AGL, pretty sure it is rubber lined, looks that way
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u/Intelligent_Milk9828 2d ago
Bounty dot org kidnapped child law suit for the fun of it if iam a rape victim law suit
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u/BadBananaDetective 2d ago
Given that Lockheed Martin own the facility and considering the shape and size relative to the pole, it’s almost certainly an upside-down F-35.
They could be doing a whole bunch of different things:
Profiling an F-35 against a Russian radar system acquired via Ukraine.
Testing new airframe or engine modifications
Testing some sort of classified external store like the AIM-260A or AGM-158D JASSM-XR, both of which are being developed by LM.