05 World’s Coolest Secret Airplanes

Since the Wright brothers built the first robotic aircraft, many countries around the world have captured the technology and tried to push it to its limits. This has resulted in some deadly, but remarkable, aircraft of the past century, many of which have been completely hidden from view during their operations.

We've talked a little bit about "secret" planes before, and today we learn that... well, sometimes people are really bad at keeping these things secret...

1. Russian Tu-142 Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft

The Russian Tu-142 naval reconnaissance aircraft belongs to the same family of aircraft as the Tu-95 and Tu-95RC and was designed in the 1960s for anti-submarine warfare.

A spy plane is also in use. In 2020 (a year everyone would rather forget) two Tu-142s were intercepted near Alaska in the middle of a 12-hour training mission that probably wouldn't have led to the start of World War III (especially if I'm reading it now).

Among its weapons and features, the Tu-142 is equipped with new anti-correction radar, avionics and anti-submarine measures, and is specifically designed to be able to detect and destroy submarines when they are still underwater. The aircraft is also capable of long-range marine reconnaissance (we mean, by name, right?), targeting and search-and-rescue operations.

2. Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker

The Su-27 Flanker is another long-classified Russian aircraft, but since its introduction in the mid-1980s and in use until the fall of the Soviet Union, it is still used by Angola, China, and Eritrea, and used in Ethiopia, Indonesia. Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and even the United States and China (although the Chinese variant is called the F-11).

The aircraft is made of titanium and high-strength aluminum alloy, has a smooth curve in the fuselage, and resembles a crow in flight (except for the shape of the wings). It is armed with air-to-air missiles with infrared guidance capabilities, a GSh-301 30mm cannon with 150 rounds of ammunition and many other rockets, missiles and bombs.

More advanced versions of the aircraft feature a new suite of electronic countermeasures to other aircraft, including radar warnings, infrared deco dispensers, and an active multi-mode jammer in the wingtip pods.

While it may be one of the most used aircraft in the world, there is a good reason for that. Not only is it cool, but it's also very versatile.

3. Boeing F-15EX

With a naming convention like a mid-generation console update, the F-15EX is a serious improvement over the original F-15, with fly-by-wire technology (which, prior to its classification, greatly accelerated UFO viewing. ), and boasts the fastest A mission computer from any current generation vehicle. It also has two new weapon stations, a new electronic warfare suite, advanced radar, and improved stability.

Fly-by-wire essentially replaces manual flight controls with an electronic interface, allowing flight maneuvers that would have been completely unimaginable in older generation aircraft.

Overall, the new F-15EX is packed with new technology and weaponry, while maintaining the iconic look of the original design, which has never ceased to be great, but with the added benefit of recognizing the original F-15. won - won. No need to spend years retraining. It's also cheaper to repair than the Lockheed Martin F-35. 

4. Lockheed RQ-170 Sentinel

Speaking of Lockheed Martin, the RQ-170 Sentinel is called the Beast of Kandahar for a reason. It has a similar triangular shape to the B-2 stealth bomber, but although it looks very familiar, not much is known about what this thing can do.

One thing we do know is that it is unmanned and is most likely a high-altitude ghostly machine suspected of having a role in the killing of Osama bin Laden.

However, what we do know about the RQ-170 is that it isn't quite as capable in the stealth department as the B-2, but since its deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2007, people have come to love it. Take pictures as it does it. His expeditions give it a mystical atmosphere.

And it's this mystery (and odd moniker) that makes him so awesome.

5. Hongdu GJ-11 Sharp Sword

Long ago in the distant 2019, China unveiled a new, stealth drone that looked like the love child between a B-2 stealth bomber and a Stingray. It is believed to be able to penetrate deep into enemy territory and unleash a volley of weapons - with more weapons inside those weapons, like deadly Russian dolls - without being detected.

But unlike the Lockheed RQ-170, it's no small drone.

The GJ-11 is comparable in size to the B-2 and is likely the final product of the Sharp Sword prototype originally tested in 2013.

Not only is it a great design, but with a name like Sharpsword (a little redundant, but come on, it has a sword in the title), it's definitely one of the more interesting crafts on this list.