Lockheed Martin RQ-3 DarkStar

RQ-3A Darkstar

Role	High-altitude endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin/Boeing
First flight	March 29, 1996

The RQ-3 DarkStar (known as Tier III- or "Tier three minus" during development) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Its first flight was on March 29, 1996. The Department of Defense terminated DarkStar in January 1999, after determining the UAV was not aerodynamically stable and was not meeting cost and performance objectives.^[1]

Design and development

The RQ-3 DarkStar was designed as a "high-altitude endurance UAV", and incorporated stealth aircraft technology to make it difficult to detect, which allowed it to operate within heavily defended airspace, unlike the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, which is unable to operate except under conditions of air supremacy. The DarkStar was fully autonomous: it could take off, fly to its target, operate its sensors, transmit information, return and land without human intervention. Human operators, however, could change the DarkStar's flight plan and sensor orientation through radio or satellite relay. The RQ-3 carried either an optical sensor or radar, and could send digital information to a satellite while still in flight. It used a single airbreathing jet engine of unknown type for propulsion. One source claims it's Williams-Rolls-Royce FJ44-1A turbofan engine.^[2]

The first prototype made its first flight on March 29, 1996, but its second flight, on April 22, 1996, ended in a crash shortly after takeoff. A modified, more stable design (the RQ-3A) first flew on June 29, 1998, and made a total of five flights before the program was canceled just prior to the sixth and final flight planned for the airworthiness test phase. Two additional RQ-3As were built, but never made any flights before program cancellation.

Although purportedly terminated on January 28, 1999, it was reported in April 2003 that the RQ-3 was still in development as a black project.^[3] The size and capabilities were reported to have increased somewhat. It was further alleged that the first such example had been used in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.^[3] There has been no independent confirmation.

The "R" is the Department of Defense designation for reconnaissance; "Q" means unmanned aircraft system. The "3" refers to it being the third of a series of purpose-built unmanned reconnaissance aircraft systems.

RQ-3A Dark Star on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington

Survivors

The first prototype RQ-3A (A/V #2) is at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. It is displayed in the Museum's Research & Development Hangar. It is the only RQ-3A to have flown.
The second prototype RQ-3A (A/V #3) is on display in the Great Gallery of the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.
A prototype RQ-3A which never flew before the program ended is on display at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Specifications

Overhead view

Dark Star at the Museum of Flight.

General characteristics

Length: 15 ft (4.6 m)
Wingspan: 69 ft (21.3 m)
Height: 3 ft 6 in (1.1 m)
Empty weight: 4,360 lb (1,980 kg)
Loaded weight: 8,500 lb (3,860 kg)

Performance

Cruise speed: 288 mph (464 km/h)
Range: 575 mi (925 km)
Service ceiling: 45,000 ft (13,500 m)

Sources

Specifications and second and third paragraphs: Display information on exhibit at Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington, US.

References

↑ UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES: DOD’s Demonstration Approach Has Improved Project Outcomes United States General Accounting Office Report to the Secretary of Defense, August 1999
↑ http://cowboylogic.us/stalking-iran-and-bin-ladin-with-a-drone/
1 2 Aviation Week & Space Technology. April, 2003.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RQ-3 Dark Star.

United States tri-service Q-series UAV designations post-1962

Main series	Q-1/C Q-2 Q-3 Q-4/C Q-5 Q-6 Q-7 Q-8/C Q-9 Q-10 Q-11 Q-12 Q-13¹ Q-14 Q-15 Q-16 Q-17 Q-18 Q-19 Q-20 Q-21 Q-22 Q-23 Q-24 Q-25 Q-26

Non-sequential	Q-170 Q-180

¹ Not assigned See also: Boeing Insitu ScanEagle Drones designated in missile sequence

Lockheed and Lockheed Martin aircraft

Airliners and civil transports	Vega Model 8 Sirius Altair Model 9 Orion Model 10 Electra Model 12 Electra Junior Model 14 Super Electra Model 18 Lodestar Constellation L-049 L-649 L-749 L-1049 Super Constellation L-1249 Super Constellation L-1649 Starliner Saturn L-188 Electra L-402 JetStar L-100 Hercules L-1011 TriStar

Military transports	C-69 Constellation C-121 Constellation C-130 Hercules C-130J Super Hercules DC-130 HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 C-141 Starlifter C-5 Galaxy R6V Constitution Tristar (RAF)

Attack and bombers	YP-24 Hudson XB-30 Ventura AC-130 A-4AR Fightinghawk F-117 Nighthawk Have Blue FB-22

Drones/UAVs	AQM-60 Kingfisher D-21 Desert Hawk Desert Hawk III MQM-105 Aquila Polecat RQ-3 Darkstar RQ-170 Sentinel

EW and reconnaissance	YO-3 EC-121 Warning Star EC-130 EC-130H Compass Call WC-130 EP-3 U-2 TR-X A-12 SR-71 Blackbird SR-72

Fighters	XFM-2 YP-24 P-38 Lightning XP-49 XP-58 Chain Lightning P-80 Shooting Star XF-90 F-94 Starfire F-104 Starfighter variants YF-12 F-16 Fighting Falcon F-22 Raptor YF-22 F-35 Lightning II

Helicopters	CL-475 XH-51 AH-56 Cheyenne VH-71 Kestrel

Maritime patrol	P-2 Neptune P-3 Orion P-7 S-3 Viking CP-140 Aurora

Trainers	T-33 T2V SeaStar

Experimental	L-133 NF-104A Senior Peg Senior Prom XC-35 XF-104 XV-4 Hummingbird X-7 X-17 X-26B Frigate CL-1200 Lancer X-33 X-35 X-44 X-55 X-56 XFV QueSST

Other	Air Express Big Dipper Model 44 Excalibur Explorer Little Dipper

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