# Future Tech

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-tech/164501>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 27, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-tech/164501 "2003-03-27T12:28:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-tech/164501/1 "2003-03-27T12:28:55Z")

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I saw a discovery program on the Stealth Bomber the other day and it said that the SB had been created something like 10 years before the public knew about it. When they finally unveiled it, it was because the current technology (IIRC) was far superior.

My question is two part:

1. Do we use super-secret planes (and other items) in battles or do we only use them when they’ve been declassified?

2. I’m pretty sure this is going to by opinions, but what is the current state of ‘future tech’?

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**Author:** ![bradministrator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a698b9/32.png) [@bradministrator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bradministrator)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-tech/164501/2 "2003-03-27T15:40:43Z")

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IIRC, the Stealth Fighter (F-117) was used over Panama before the Air Force acknowledged that it existed.

For info on where the Air Force is headed, Google on “donuts on a rope” or “Aurora.” While a lot of the info out there is tin-foil-hat conspiracy lunacy, there have been credible eyewitness sightings of unacknowledged Air Force planes.

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**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-tech/164501/3 "2003-03-27T16:02:49Z")

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Isn’t Aurora the plane thats rumored to have replaced the SR-71?

What I’ve heard about Aurora sounds pretty far fetched though.

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**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-tech/164501/4 "2003-03-28T14:22:33Z")

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Thanks both of you.

I actually think I’ve heard of the Aurora.

There wouldn’t happen to be a (credible) book on either previous or future ‘hidden from the public’ technologies would there?