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[Photon440]

Seen today, 13 October 2021 at Air Force Flight Test Center (Edwards AFB)
Photography/Videography prohibited

Check out the NOSE
Anyone want to tell me what this is?
Hint: I know.........Do you?

View attachment 1179229

PS: You know me with "Noses"........Nosey Airplanes....
View attachment 1179230

Hard to tell, the first picture looks like the Bombardier CRJ700 that Northop Grumman used to test various types of fighter jet nose cones. But the second picture has a different cockpit and is dated '98 which is before the build date of the Bombardier (1999). The first one looks like aircraft registration N804X if you want to look it up to see other types of noses on it. Here's a different nose on it:

That Bombardier is a replacement for the BAC 1-11 that has since been retired.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Something to do with tracking space rocket launches during the Apollo mission program, i think???

Ok
Ok
well, yes for the ARIA I flew on for 18 years, me in the pic

BUT:
This is (I believe), a Platform flying daily here at Edwards AFB with the NEW B-21s Advanced RADAR and Avionics suite on board.
This way they can fly and test the Newest RADAR going on the B-21 RADAR
I guess no one cares about this stuff but you and I

 

[super-bee_ski]

Photon440 is correct
It is a Northrup test Mule carrying the new Northrup B-21 RADAR and advanced avionics suite...been here for a while
rumor has it we have 5 B-21s

 

[Slap Stick]

What? They are making B-21s?
They aren't even half as good as a B-52 and only a little better than B 17s!
And not even a third as good as a XB-70!

 

[Photon440]

Photon440 is correct
It is a Northrup test Mule carrying the new Northrup B-21 RADAR and advanced avionics suite...been here for a while
rumor has it we have 5 B-21s

B-21 RADAR, or Raider?

 

[super-bee_ski]

What? They are making B-21s?
They aren't even half as good as a B-52 and only a little better than B 17s!
And not even a third as good as a XB-70!

B-52, last one built was 1961, still flying!

 

[super-bee_ski]

B-21 RADAR, or Raider?

Yup, as Jimmy Doolittle, the Raider
But this test mule at Edwards is flying the B-21s new advanced RADAR and Avionics suite...
Concealed as this Northrup aircraft
Keeping the B-21 a secret until launch date for the world to see.....

 

[super-bee_ski]

Photon440s post of 10522 is the same aircraft flying the F-35 radar nose back a few years ago
By flying this aircraft, the Avionics/RADAR Engineering teams can fly for hours and hours and "Flight Test" the system, upgrades in Software, try certain applications and different targeting systems etc.
F-35s and F-22s have short Flight Time durations

NOW:
In my Post, you can see the Aircraft here at Edwards as it is flying the new B-21s Radar/Avionics
Again, to kept it from the World to see as it is still secret
The B-21 IS flying night time Test Missions, but these are for Structural tests and logging flight Time hours...

 

[The Rebel]

Someone say Radar?

 

[Slap Stick]

B-52, last one built was 1961, still flying!

1962. S/N 61-040 came off the line in Wichita on 22 June, 1962.
The B-58 was 6 better than the B-52.
Don't get me started on the B-1.

 

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[super-bee_ski]

See the nose?
BTE:
That aircraft was at Edwards numerous times over the years
I had the chance to fly on it during the F-22 Test Era...with the F-22 Avionics Suite onboard but the Jet it was flying against was the one I was assigned to, Ship 4009, so I couldn't go for the ride....

 

[super-bee_ski]

1962. S/N 61-040 came off the line in Wichita on 22 June, 1962.
The B-58 was 6 better than the B-52.
Don't get me started on the B-1.

 

[idrivemopar]

Blue Angels were here for 4 days, 2 practicing and 2 shows!!! Awesome, here are some highlights from the many photos I shot!!! I took a ton of photos!

 

[oldbee]

My oldest gave me this decal. Worked on the F-35 vertical lift also. It took the gov't a couple years to figure out they needed de-icing capability.(?)

 

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