Image by U.S. Federal Government
(Image in public domain)
Few black projects – especially recent ones – can be seen on public display in museums, or at least museums that are open to the public! The Bird of Prey, developed in the 1990s by McDonnell Douglas and Boeing to test stealth technology, is one of the rare exceptions.
Image by HonoluluMan
(Image in public domain)
The Bird of Prey’s price tag of $67 million made it a relatively low cost solution in the world of huge budget stealth demonstration. While it never went into production, nor did it receive an X-plane designation since it was funded directly by Boeing rather than the military, it facilitated the development of technology and materials that were later used on Boeing’s X-45 unmanned combat air vehicle (UAV). The Bird of Prey, developed at Boeing’s Phantom Works and named after the Klingon Bird of Prey warship from Star Trek, made 40 flights between 1996 and 1999.
Image by HonoluluMan
(Image in public domain)
Coolest of all, the Bird of Prey’s shape was designed to prevent shadows, and was used – so it is believed – to test active camouflage, meaning its surfaces could change colour and luminosity to blend in with its surroundings, like the octopus or cuttlefish. This was surely the ultimate defense – a stealth aircraft practically invisible to the human eye as well as radar. The shape – which does away with a horizontal tailplane and a conventional vertical rudder – is aerodynamically stable enough to be flown without computer correction. This configuration is now standard in modern stealth UAVs such as the X-45 and X-47.
Boeing claims the highly classified Bird of Prey pioneered breakthrough low-observable technologies and revolutionized aircraft design. It was revealed to the public on October 18, 2002 because the technologies and capabilities developed have become industry standards. Can we glean from this that other black projects remain hidden away because their technologies are not yet industry standard, irrespective of whether these projects have been cancelled? Bird of Prey now resides at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Watch it flying in the video above – where you’ll see that it really does look like its namesake! Not exactly a “flying triangle”, but certainly a contender for those 1990s UFO sightings out in the Nevada Desert.
Read more about black projects in our archives, and check out this patent for a potential top secret plane.
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