RQ-180

Latest in RQ-180

The U.S. Air Force is planning to retire its remaining RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance drones by the end of the 2027 Fiscal Year. The service says it has become clear that the RQ-4s would be overly vulnerable in any future conflict against a peer or near-peer adversary, but it’s not clear what aircraft (or other assets) might fill the resulting capability gap. This only adds to the growing evidence that a top-secret, high-flying, stealth spy drone, commonly referred to as the RQ-180, or variants or derivatives thereof, is getting close to entering service, if it isn’t already being employed operationally on some level.
Air

Air Force Chief Hints At Existence Of Clandestine Spy Aircraft

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jul 26, 2024

Global Hawk Retirement Points Again To RQ-180 Waiting In The Wings
Air

Global Hawk Retirement Points Again To RQ-180 Waiting In The Wings

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 28, 2022

Secret RQ-180 “White Bat” Spy Drone Alluded To In New Air Force Video
Air

Secret RQ-180 “White Bat” Spy Drone Alluded To In New Air Force Video

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Nov 18, 2021

Secret RQ-180 Stealthy Unmanned Spy Plane Spotted Over Area 51
Air

Secret RQ-180 Stealthy Unmanned Spy Plane Spotted Over Area 51

By Thomas Newdick and Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Nov 1, 2021

The RQ-180 Drone Will Emerge From The Shadows As The Centerpiece Of An Air Combat Revolution
Air

The RQ-180 Drone Will Emerge From The Shadows As The Centerpiece Of An Air Combat Revolution

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 29, 2021

Was The Secret RQ-180 Stealth Drone Really Photographed Over The Mojave Desert?
Air

Was The Secret RQ-180 Stealth Drone Really Photographed Over The Mojave Desert?

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Nov 2, 2020

Private Pilot Flew Over America’s Premier Spy Plane Base And Snapped These Images
News & Features

Private Pilot Flew Over America’s Premier Spy Plane Base And Snapped These Images

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jun 23, 2020

Edwards AFB Upgrades Point To Unexpected Home For B-21 Raider, Other Secretive Programs
Air

Edwards AFB Upgrades Point To Unexpected Home For B-21 Raider, Other Secretive Programs

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 10, 2020

Shedding Some Light On The Air Force’s Most Shadowy Drone Squadron
Air

Shedding Some Light On The Air Force’s Most Shadowy Drone Squadron

By Joseph Trevithick and Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 25, 2018

USAF May Dump Its E-8C JSTARS Replacement Program For A Shadowy “Distributed” Solution
Air

USAF May Dump Its E-8C JSTARS Replacement Program For A Shadowy “Distributed” Solution

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Oct 5, 2017

This Northrop Grumman Exec Has Some Very Interesting Airplane Models On His Desk
News & Features

This Northrop Grumman Exec Has Some Very Interesting Airplane Models On His Desk

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Sep 3, 2017