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The Pilots Desk
Drones / UASUnmanned aerial vehicle by Lockheed Martin

RQ-170 Sentinel

RQ-170 Sentinel

The Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel, nicknamed Wraith, is an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Lockheed Martin and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). While the USAF has released few details on the UAV's design or capabilities, defense analysts believe that it is a stealth aircraft fitted with aerial reconnaissance equipment. Introduced in 2007, it was deployed to Afghanistan in late 2007, South Korea two years later in September 2009, and was used during the 2026 United States intervention in Venezuela. Some images and details of the aircraft were released after Iran captured an RQ-170 in 2011. It has a flying wing design, and uses a single engine, speculated to be either a General Electric TF34 turbofan or a Garrett TFE731.

Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Manufacturer
Lockheed Martin
Category
Drones / UAS
Country of origin
United States
Length
4.5 m
Wingspan
20 m

Specifications

Service ceiling
50,000 ft
Max takeoff weight
8,500 lb
Powerplant
Garrett TFE731 or General Electric TF34 turbofan
Engines
1
Seats
3
Length
14.8 ft
Wingspan
38.6 ft
Height
6 ft
Number built
20

Specifications are approximate and may vary by variant. Compiled from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

Reference and training only. Specifications vary by variant — consult the manufacturer and the official documents.