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GoodToGo
03-04-2007, 05:05 PM
Hey Gang. I started a thread a couple days ago regarding a Google Earth satellite image... http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=106456
and because a few people also appeared to be interested in some of the cool KeyHole satellite imagery found on GoogleEarth, I figured I may as well start a whole new wide-open thread that deals with any interesting military-related satellite imagery. There are a some really nice ones at the link above, and here are a few more that i thought were kind of cool. Hope I ain't overstepping my bounds here or nothing.

- first is a shot of eight B-52 Stratofortress Bombers sitting on 'Ready Alert' at Minot AFB, North Dakota. It gives a nice view of the layout of a B-52 scramble-pad. Now, to the best of my knowledge, this is just about the only military base in the US that still seems to have bombers ready to go on the Alert Pad. Anyone have any idea if that is correct or not?
- here is an oblique-angle view of the front gate to the US Military base in Iraq that is known as 'Camp Victory'. It shows the vehicle speed control/security barriers leading up to the main gate.
- You know when they say a picture is worth a thousand words? This is an image overlay of one of the US nuclear weapons testing grounds 60 miles NW of Las Vegas, Nevada. To give an idea of scale, this image is exactly 15 miles across, and EVERY SINGLE ONE of those bright AND shaded yellow pushpins is a different 'ground zero' detonation point (well, most of the explosions were actually "below-ground zero", but still!). This is only one testing range i might add, as there is another clustering like this further off to the NW.
- Here is the MASSIVE Russian Typhoon Class submarine, parked nose to nose with a Kiev-Class Carrier for a great size comparison. The SSBN Typhoon is 550 feet long - the largest class of submarine in the world.
- If you ever wondered where the prototype YF-23 went after it lost out to the F-22 Raptor, one of them is sitting in a New Mexico boneyard.
- oblique-angle view of AREA-51's 'Road To Nowhere', a junction-road that leads into underground...well, your guess is as good as mine where they go! They do not vanish into a hillside (GE's terrain altitude-mapping is very accurate in this region), but rather descend under the flat desert floor. It is amazing the level of construction going on at the A-51 facility, so i hope you Yanks are getting your money's worth! I suspect you are.

Niels
03-04-2007, 05:07 PM
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=70075&highlight= (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=70075&highlight=google+earth+finds)

;)

GoodToGo
03-04-2007, 05:12 PM
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=70075&highlight= (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=70075&highlight=google+earth+finds)

;)

You know, i searched for it, i swear! Thanks dude....

OMON
03-04-2007, 05:18 PM
what happend to the yf-23?

GoodToGo
03-04-2007, 05:58 PM
what happend to the yf-23?

The YF-23 lost out in the head-to-head ATF (Advanced Tactical Fighter) sweepstakes competition against the YF-22 - although many claim the YF-23 was a better aircraft.

There were two YF-23 prototypes, designated PAV-1 and PAV-2. I believe the image shows the PAV-1 bird.

Lov3ll
03-04-2007, 06:47 PM
The YF-23 lost out in the head-to-head ATF (Advanced Tactical Fighter) sweepstakes competition against the YF-22 - although many claim the YF-23 was a better aircraft.

There were two YF-23 prototypes, designated PAV-1 and PAV-2. I believe the image shows the PAV-1 bird.

It's probably a stupid question, but whats to stop Northrop and McDonnell Douglas from creating the plane and selling it to other countries?

GoodToGo
03-04-2007, 06:56 PM
It's probably a stupid question, but whats to stop Northrop and McDonnell Douglas from creating the plane and selling it to other countries?

No such thing as a stupid question....with that said, i am hoping this is not a stupid answer! :)
Technological export laws are one reason - as we are talking some SERIOUSLY proprietary hardware and software. The YF-23 was said to have a higher top speed and was even more stealthy than the YF-22 that won the fly-off, so the F-23 is not something that Uncle Sam would allow to be sold.

Plus, there are no allied nations in the world that could justify the cost to purchase them. Northrop would have to make alot of them to break even, and there is no market for an aircraft that advanced (and that expensive to maintain).

Rapier55
03-04-2007, 08:42 PM
Good may be on to something. I read this thread earlier then posted the following on the other Google Earth thread.

http://www.wmof.com/yf23a.htm

Anyhow, in the above link the Western Museum of Flight has noted that the YF-23 is "currently on loan to Northrop Grumman for refurbishment." That plane had been at that municipal airport for at least 5 years (a few miles from where I live). I never went in but when I drove by it looked stripped down for preservation. The museum closed down about 6 months ago so I figure that's about the time Northrop picked it up. It would be interesting to know what "refurbishments" were being made.

GoodToGo
03-04-2007, 09:32 PM
Good may be on to something. I read this thread earlier then posted the following on the other Google Earth thread.

http://www.wmof.com/yf23a.htm

Anyhow, in the above link the Western Museum of Flight has noted that the YF-23 is "currently on loan to Northrop Grumman for refurbishment." That plane had been at that municipal airport for at least 5 years (a few miles from where I live). I never went in but when I drove by it looked stripped down for preservation. The museum closed down about 6 months ago so I figure that's about the time Northrop picked it up. It would be interesting to know what "refurbishments" were being made.

There is also alot of scuttlebutt now claiming that the YF-23 prototype is essentially serving as a 'model' for an aircraft that is being built by Northrop Grumman to fill the USAF's interim bomber requirement - i guess going against the B-1R and FB-22, which are also in the running for that coveted contract.