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The Lockheed Martin/Boeing Tier III- (minus) unpiloted aerial vehicle arrived at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, Sept. 14, 1995. The vehicle was developed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and Boeing Defense and Space Group to satisfy a goal of the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office to supply responsive and sustained data from anywhere within enemy territory, day or night, in all types of weather.
Dubbed Darkstar, the vehicle, with a wing span of 69 feet, was designed to fly above 45,000 feet at subsonic speeds on missions lasting more than eight hours.
Additional Information
This aircraft, also know as a High Altitude Endurance Unmanned Air Vehicle (HAE UAV), flew successfully for the first time March 29, 1996. The aircraft took off from runway 04 at the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, CA, at 6:25 a.m. (PST). During the 20 minute flight, the vehicle achieved an altitude of approximately 5000 feet and completed pre-programmed basic flight maneuvers.
The system successfully executed a fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing using the differential Global Positioning System (dGPS). The Darkstar air vehicle was optimized for reconnaissance in highly defended areas. It was intended to operate within the current military force structure and with existing command, control, communications, computer, and intelligence equipment. It could operate at a range of 500 nautical miles and stay on station for more than 8 hours at an altitude greater than 45,000 feet. The airplane could carry either a Synthetic Aperture Radar or Electro-Optical payload.
The Darkstar program was managed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on behalf of the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office. The prime contractor team consisted of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Boeing Military Aircraft Division, and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space. NASA Dryden Flight Research Center hosted the flight test program.
The first DarkStar prototype (article #695) attempted its second flight on April 22, 1996, but crashed on takeoff and was destroyed.
More than two years passed before the second Darkstar prototype (article #696) took to the air on June 29, 1998. The vehicle made a total of five flights, the last on January 9, 1999. The program was cancelled on January 28, 1999.
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