Identify this helo: Bin Laden compound
A photo of a prototype version of a UH-60 with some stealth modifications appeared on a U.S. scale modelling website a few years ago but was quickly removed again. It showed a standard Blackhawk heli with a stealthy pointed nose and other modifications to the forward facing surfaces of the airframe. The tail rotor on that particular Blackhawk was unmodified so the bin Laden raider was obviously a further, highly modified version, potentially, of the helicopter in that photo. The helicopter I saw was, if I remember correctly, photographed at Edwards Air Force Base and possibly dated from around 2000 or maybe even before that.
Given that the last known form of advanced technology that we know of tested at Area 51/Groom Lake is Stealth Technology (F-117, B-2, Beast of Kandahar etc) and that dates from the 1980's, God only knows what stuff they have flying there in more recent times. Even more interesting would be knowing what rotorcraft have been developed and tested there. The only stuff that appears to be known about is the C.I.A.'s Quiet One/Hughes 500P programme from 1971/72, the 160th SOAR training there in 1980/81 for the second (abandoned) attempt to rescue the Iranian Hostages and now the apparent bin Laden stealth helicopter.
500 Fan.
Given that the last known form of advanced technology that we know of tested at Area 51/Groom Lake is Stealth Technology (F-117, B-2, Beast of Kandahar etc) and that dates from the 1980's, God only knows what stuff they have flying there in more recent times. Even more interesting would be knowing what rotorcraft have been developed and tested there. The only stuff that appears to be known about is the C.I.A.'s Quiet One/Hughes 500P programme from 1971/72, the 160th SOAR training there in 1980/81 for the second (abandoned) attempt to rescue the Iranian Hostages and now the apparent bin Laden stealth helicopter.
500 Fan.
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A very knowledgeable source told me that the stealth Blackhawk program dates from the mid-80s, and was evidently used in Iraq before the 1st Gulf War - with the comment 'They never saw us'.
So what else is out there? Would be neat to know, but comforted by the thought that they're on our side.
So what else is out there? Would be neat to know, but comforted by the thought that they're on our side.
