Secret Programs Everywhere...

Many years ago, I used to print out interesting articles that I found at the library, or get copies of them out of magazines in my second home, the periodicals section. I still have a small collection of binders fullof articles from those days. Most of it is divided up into the categories of modern jets, stealth jets, land forces and documented combat actions. It used to be my shining jewel of knowledge until I began building up my library of books.

But it still has its place. There are a few things I copied that I can't really find anywhere else now. The fine example below is from an article I saw on the Janes web site. For those of you not that familiar with the name "Janes" in the defence industry: Janes is commonly regerded as the definitive word on military technology. If they say it isn't so, it isn't, and if someone pulls out a Janes article or reference to prove you're wrong- you're wrong.

So anyway, here I typed out the first 1/3 or so of the article. Read and be thrilled.
"USA's secret new missile impacts UK BVRAAM
"Nick Cook JDW Aviation Editor
"London
"Jane's Defence Weekly has learned of the existence of a highly-classified US Air Force (USAF) missile system test-fired secretly and successfully during the 1990-91 Gulf War.
"The weapon is set to have major implications almost 9 years later for the UK's contentious Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) programme. It may also have a significant bearing in the USAF's leading procurement project, the Lockheed Martin F-22 air superiority fighter.
"JDW has learned that the weapon, a ramjet-powered variant of the Raytheon AIM-120 AIM-120 Advanced Meduim Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) was deployed to a USAF F-15 Eagle squadron in the Gulf during Operation 'Desert Storm' and was responsible for shooting down several Iraqi combat aircraft. These 'kills' were subsequently described as successful engagements by other, non-classified missile systems.
"According to US military sources, the weapon was supplied 'in quantity' even though it was officially only a test article..."
The preceding quote is from the Janes.com site, dated Oct 22, 1999. I had it bookmarked for some time, well a month. After a while ( a month or two) when I went back to find it, the article was gone! I searched their site for it, and nothing! Every now and then, oh, once a year or so, I would go looking for it again. The original article never was seen again. Hmmm...

Reason for posting? I'm throwing it out there to show that hey, there have always been these awesome black projects out there, being used, in productioin, that DON'T make the popular defence circuit. There's always something going on we don't know about. The above article is one example. The stealthy Blackhawk is another example.

Another example? I'd bet the boss' farm that there is at least a company of RAH-66 Comanches out there somewhere. And they're being used. I bet the F-22 has already flown into North Korea and Iran, and shot down some bad guys. I bet the F-35 DOESN'T COST THAT MUCH- but the price of its development and production are just a front for some other black air force project that we'll find out about in 15-25 years or so. ?
But getting back to the above AMRAAM: I did finally recently find the following link that refers to the same story, though its date and content differ slightly, and is not nearly as complete as the original article.

http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Missiles-And-Rockets-99/Ramjet-BVRAAM-used-in-Gulf-War-combat.html

So check that out.

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