The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
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Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
Een interessant adres?
UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld Ontdek de Fascinerende Wereld van UFO's en UAP's: Jouw Bron voor Onthullende Informatie!
Ben jij ook gefascineerd door het onbekende? Wil je meer weten over UFO's en UAP's, niet alleen in België, maar over de hele wereld? Dan ben je op de juiste plek!
België: Het Kloppend Hart van UFO-onderzoek
In België is BUFON (Belgisch UFO-Netwerk) dé autoriteit op het gebied van UFO-onderzoek. Voor betrouwbare en objectieve informatie over deze intrigerende fenomenen, bezoek je zeker onze Facebook-pagina en deze blog. Maar dat is nog niet alles! Ontdek ook het Belgisch UFO-meldpunt en Caelestia, twee organisaties die diepgaand onderzoek verrichten, al zijn ze soms kritisch of sceptisch.
Nederland: Een Schat aan Informatie
Voor onze Nederlandse buren is er de schitterende website www.ufowijzer.nl, beheerd door Paul Harmans. Deze site biedt een schat aan informatie en artikelen die je niet wilt missen!
Internationaal: MUFON - De Wereldwijde Autoriteit
Neem ook een kijkje bij MUFON (Mutual UFO Network Inc.), een gerenommeerde Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in de VS en wereldwijd. MUFON is toegewijd aan de wetenschappelijke en analytische studie van het UFO-fenomeen, en hun maandelijkse tijdschrift, The MUFON UFO-Journal, is een must-read voor elke UFO-enthousiasteling. Bezoek hun website op www.mufon.com voor meer informatie.
Samenwerking en Toekomstvisie
Sinds 1 februari 2020 is Pieter niet alleen ex-president van BUFON, maar ook de voormalige nationale directeur van MUFON in Vlaanderen en Nederland. Dit creëert een sterke samenwerking met de Franse MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP, wat ons in staat stelt om nog meer waardevolle inzichten te delen.
Let op: Nepprofielen en Nieuwe Groeperingen
Pas op voor een nieuwe groepering die zich ook BUFON noemt, maar geen enkele connectie heeft met onze gevestigde organisatie. Hoewel zij de naam geregistreerd hebben, kunnen ze het rijke verleden en de expertise van onze groep niet evenaren. We wensen hen veel succes, maar we blijven de autoriteit in UFO-onderzoek!
Blijf Op De Hoogte!
Wil jij de laatste nieuwtjes over UFO's, ruimtevaart, archeologie, en meer? Volg ons dan en duik samen met ons in de fascinerende wereld van het onbekende! Sluit je aan bij de gemeenschap van nieuwsgierige geesten die net als jij verlangen naar antwoorden en avonturen in de sterren!
Heb je vragen of wil je meer weten? Aarzel dan niet om contact met ons op te nemen! Samen ontrafelen we het mysterie van de lucht en daarbuiten.
25-03-2026
Mars is hiding a secret clutch of gemstone-like crystals, including rubies and possibly sapphires
Mars is hiding a secret clutch of gemstone-like crystals, including rubies and possibly sapphires
Astronomers have detected small, ruby-like crystals embedded in Martian rocks, which may also hide sapphires created in the fury of meteorite impacts.
NASA's Perseverance rover (illustrated in background) found evidence of ruby-like crystals in a rock named Coffee Cove (inset photo) along with two others — a gemological first on the Red Planet.(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP)
Mars is hiding a clutch of ruby-like crystals in its rocks, observations from the Perseverance rover suggest, and astronomers say other precious minerals, like sapphires, could exist across the Red Planet, too.
An international team of researchers presented the findings, based on observations from spring 2025, March 16 at the 57th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas. These findings are currently under peer review and will appear in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
The story begins a short time ago on a planet not too far away, when a roving robot the size of a compact car climbed the side of a 4 billion-year-old impact crater and began exploring its rim. On that ancient and stony rim, NASA's Perseverance rover found a curious scattering of pale-colored "float rocks" — out-of-place rocks that must have been transported there by impacts, geological activity or hydrological processes.
As scientists often do when faced with a curious specimen, they blasted it with a laser — specifically, the green laser from the Perseverance rover's SuperCam, situated atop its mast. This laser excites minerals, causing them to emit light at specific wavelengths. And because every element and compound emits certain wavelengths of light, this reveals a sample's chemical composition.
The corundum conundrum
The analysis showed that three of the laser-blasted float rocks exhibited clear signatures of the mineral corundum, with inclusions of the element chromium — crystals that match the chemical description of rubies. However, because the crystals are too small to be seen by Perseverance's imager, and their exact chemical composition is uncertain, the researchers aren't sure whether they have truly found Martian rubies or perhaps some other type of corundum.
"The different types of corundum are based on the chemistry," study co-author Valerie Payré, a planetary geologist at the University of Iowa, told Live Science via email. "Although corundum is Al2O3, there are minor elements like chromium, titanium, and iron that can be present."
A Perseverance rover SuperCam image (left) of a Mars rock containing quartz. The graph on the right shows a spectroscopic reading of the rock, compared to hydrothermal quartz on Earth. The match is nearly identical. (Image credit: NASA/JPLCaltech/LANL/CNES/CNRS)
"These elements will provide the color to the mineral, and the name of it," Payré added. "We cannot quantify the amount of chromium, and other elements like iron and titanium might be present too. It is thus difficult to conclude whether they are rubies or other types of corundum [like sapphires]."
The team ultimately classified the crystals as corundum and declined to guess about the variety without more chemical evidence.
Corundum is a mineral made of aluminum and oxygen. It is one of the hardest known natural substances, approaching the toughness of diamonds. Pure corundum is colorless, but microscopic impurities imbue it with brilliant hues. Iron or titanium inclusions yield brilliant blue sapphires, while chromium produces even rarer, resplendent rubies.
As of now, the corundum crystals were found in small pebbles that are coming from elsewhere, i.e., they are out of context. It is therefore difficult to constrain the full story,
Valerie Payré, planetary geologist at the University of Iowa
However, anyone holding out hope for a future Martian-gemstone-studded necklace may be disappointed. The corundum crystals found within the float rocks are tiny — less than 0.2 millimeters (0.008 inches) in diameter.
Could slightly larger Martian rubies exist? "Yes, possibly," study co-author Olivier Beyssac, a senior scientist at the French National Center for Scientific Research, told Live Science via email. "Anyway corundum is pretty rare on Earth and rarely present as big crystals so one could expect the same on Mars."
Cosmic impacts?
It's also likely that the crystals formed under different conditions than those on our planet. On Earth, corundum is created through metamorphic and igneous processes, in which intense heat and pressure, facilitated by tectonic activity, transform existing rocks into potential gemstones.
But because there is no conclusive evidence for plate tectonics on Mars, the researchers suggest that the ruby-like crystals on the Red Planet may have formed through cosmic impacts.
"The impacts provide high temperatures and high pressures, which can produce corundum. Hydrothermal fluids are also generated," Payré explained. Yet the researchers must find additional samples, at their origin, to describe their formation mechanism.
"As of now, the corundum crystals were found in small pebbles that are coming from elsewhere, i.e., they are out of context. It is therefore difficult to constrain the full story," Payré said.
Rubies are far from the onlyspectacularstones found at Jezero crater, and further research may reveal sapphire-like stones there as well. In the past, scientists also discovered signs of other potential gemstones elsewhere on Mars, including quartz and opal — suggesting that our red planetary neighbor is a gem laboratory.
Best UK spot to see aliens revealed as experts say 2026 could be 'the year'
Best UK spot to see aliens revealed as experts say 2026 could be 'the year'
This year could prove to be the breakthrough moment where we finally meet aliens, experts say. And they reckon you may need to head to the coast to see them
Aliens could be spotted soon
BY Sian Hewitt
Aliens are getting braver and UFO hunters should head to Cornwall to spot them.
Hordes of sky watchers are heading to the south west to catch a glimpse of some other-worldly beings after it emerged as one of the UK's top spots to see some weird. This yearcould be the one where forces from other realms finally make themselves known, after official Government figures show visits of “unidentified objects” in the atmosphere are growing year on year.
A recent Freedom of Information request carried out by the Daily Star found that numbers of incident reports in our skies featuring objects that are “unidentified” or “unusual” are rocketing as the years go on - and now experts have lifted the lid on where is the best place to catch a glimpse.
Cornwall is the spot to meet aliens, experts say
Stats shared by the UK Civil Aviation Authority show that in January 2010 there was only one incident in the entire year but since then is growing annually, with experts warning it shows aliens are “getting braver”. Incidents went from one or none a year to suddenly 14 in 2017 and have continued to grow, according to official figures.
The most recent stats show that there were 20 annual reports for 2023, 24 in 2024 and 19 sightings in 2025, although the true number for last year could be much higher with reports still being collated by the CAA. The CAA says these are all “Airprox or other aviation safety incident reports” that involve objects described as unidentified, unknown, uncorrelated or unusual.
Could 2026 be the year we finally meet aliens?
(Image: Getty Images)
They record these events for official records, which were released at the start of the year. And now experts say the next set of figures, due at the end of 2026 will make for interesting reading.
Paranormal expert Robert Pulme, who runs the National UFO Reporting Centre website, said: “We are getting more spots than usual this year and reports are definitely up. We have seen a 10% increase on average month by month which suggests that aliens are possibly getting a bit braver.
"The world is in a mess what with threats of World War 3, Trump going on, and things seemingly on edge around the globe, so it makes sense for the skies to be on edge too. I imagine if they are watching, they are keeping a closer eye than ever on it. It is all really unsettled, so if another form of life is looking to communicate with us, either to work with us or against us, there is no better time to make an impact and get a hold of the planet than when things are unsteady."
And he added that one spot in particular has seen the bulk of reports.
Experts say aliens could be watching the chaos of the world closely
(Image: Getty)
"Cornwall is a top hub for reports at the moment," he added. "It is a good spot for views of the skies at the best of times. It is near the sea on a few sides, and there is not a lot of pollution in the air when you compare it to other parts of the UK, so maybe the aliens are everywhere, but this is just where we can see them best.
"I have had a lot of alien watchers head to the spot in recent months to try and get a glimpse. I don't think it will be long before we catch a proper picture as proof really soon."
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US Congressman Tim Burchett says something is going on, claiming that several people connected to UFOs, nuclear secrets, and advanced aerospace technology have died or gone missing, particularly around the time Donald Trump discussed releasing UFO files.
Burchett told Benny Johnson that people should suspect a conspiracy because a scientist went missing and the FBI only showed up after he disappeared. He thought something serious was happening, especially because this started right after President Trump said he would release some UFO files.
He said several people with links to UFO or advanced weapons information had died or gone missing over time, and that this pattern was not new.
When Benny asked if he personally knew any of them, he hinted that he might. Benny suggested that after Trump ordered UFO files declassified, some UFO experts Burchett knew either went missing or turned up dead, and Burchett confirmed that at least one did, the one “everybody was looking for.”
Burchett added that he had talked directly with President Trump about it and told him that this whole situation was like an onion: when you peeled back one layer, there was always another layer underneath.
He pointed to a specific woman involved in metallurgical work on missiles, and then to another person with advanced knowledge in aerospace, propulsion, plasma physics, fusion, and rocket technology, and said there was just “too much” happening all at once.
He then complained that agencies like NASA said they had no related files, but he himself had been briefed by them, so he felt they were not being honest. He said he was fed up, because even in a secure briefing, he was told that some information was “need to know” and that even the president only got what they decided he needed to know.
Benny compared this to the movie “Independence Day,” in which the president discovered a secret UFO program he had never been told about. Burchett said he did not think it was exactly like the movie because today, too many people would know, and it would be hard to keep something that big totally secret, though in the past it was easier. He mentioned an older man who told him about a classified incident from the 1950s that he had been ordered never to speak about, but wanted to confess before he died.
He said he did not think all of this was literally sitting in Area 51, because that location was too obvious. But when the host focused on the idea that bureaucrats told the president “you don’t need to know” on a need-to-know basis, Burchett agreed that part was real. He believed there were people so deeply hidden in the system that you would never truly expose them, unless “the Lord took them out,” meaning only death would remove them from power.
Multiple members of Congress are warning that the disappearance of an Air Force general, known as the UFO “gatekeeper,” could be a national security issue. Investigative journalist Ross Coulthart thinks retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland might have been the victim of foul play after he went missing on February 27.
Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland
He told NewsNation that people should seriously consider whether someone may have stepped in to “take the general out of the picture,” because McCasland carried very sensitive U.S. military intelligence in his head, especially about particle beam technology and UFO-related matters.
Rep. Tim Burchett warns of a worrying “pattern ” in which U.S. scientists and researchers in sensitive fields are dying or disappearing, and believes this warrants national attention. One of the cases he is worried about is retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, who went missing in New Mexico on February 27, had deep experience in particle beam technology and high-level Air Force research.
Republican Representative Eric Burlison says missing retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland “has a lot of information” about UFOs and UAPs, and it is “really disturbing” for someone like that to disappear.
According to aNew York Post article, McCasland was informed about some of the most secretive US technology in his capacity as leader of Wright Patterson Air Force Base, vice commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center, and director of Space Acquisition at the Pentagon, sources told The Post.
“During his time, he was one of the key gatekeepers for the UFO topic for the Air Force,” a source with knowledge told The Post. “He knew a lot, and he participated.”
McCasland’s disappearance is now also linked with the vanishing of 60-year-old rocket scientist and materials expert Monica Reza (also known professionally as Monica Jacinto) in June 2025. (Source)
Monica Reza
She was hiking with a colleague on the Mount Waterman Trail in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles. According to reports, she was about 30 feet behind the man she was hiking with, smiling and waving on a normal day, when he turned around again, and she was suddenly gone.
Rescue teams, volunteers, and authorities searched for days on this popular trail using many resources, but never found her body or any clear trace of what happened.
Reza worked for Aerojet Rocketdyne, a major aerospace company funded by NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory. In the 1990s,s she developed and patented a special nickel-based superalloy that could survive very harsh oxygen-rich environments without adding much weight, which was important for rocket engines. Her work helped create the AR1 engine, planned to replace Russian RD-180 engines on United Launch Alliance rockets.
Because both McCasland and Reza were involved in cutting-edge rocket technology and both are tied, directly or indirectly, to UFO discussions, and because they both disappeared while hiking within less than a year of each other with no bodies found, many people online are now trying to link the two cases and build conspiracy theories.
US Congressman Eric Burlison was warned by someone with Special Forces and Intel Community experience that he may be killed for pursuing the truth about UFOs. (Source)
In a livestream hosted by Leslie Kean, Rep. Burlison described an incident that occurred while he was investigating the UFO/UAP issue and trying to track down certain people connected to it. He said that someone who had served in special forces and worked in the intelligence community looked at a list of names Burlison was interested in.
According to Burlison, this person told him he needed to remove two specific names from his list and never speak about those individuals again. The person warned him that they were dangerous and said that “they would have no problem having you killed” if he continued pursuing them.
Burlison has refused to say publicly who gave him this warning, but he explained that the incident made him realize there might be very dark “bad actors” involved in the secrecy surrounding the UAP topic.
Nuno Loureiro, a MIT scientist, was tragically killed in his home, who figured out key ways plasmas act wildly, like getting turbulent or snapping magnetic fields, which explains solar flares and improves fusion reactors.
Nuno Loureiro, a MIT scientist
Nuno Loureiro was a professor of nuclear science and engineering and of physics at MIT. He died at the age of 47, after having spent about 10 years at MIT since joining the faculty in 2016. His research focused on understanding how plasmas behave, especially in fusion reactors and in extreme astrophysical environments.
Plasma is described as a very hot state of matter that fuels fusion reactions, and his work on turbulence, magnetized plasma dynamics, magnetic field amplification, and confinement and transport in fusion plasmas helped guide the design of fusion devices that might one day provide clean, almost unlimited energy. His theories also helped explain astronomical events such as solar flares and contributed to understanding magnetic fields in the universe.
Now sure...you see a hole in a very thin walled rock, but the truth about it goes much deeper than that. You see its a doorway into a hand built structure, like an adobe walled building, but not like houses you see on Earth, because this is Mars and they have to make due with the materials at hand, and soft clay like material is much easier to use to make walls, ceilings, rooms, doorways, etc. It's not like they have the option to use wood from trees, because I don't see any trees. They had one choice and they built these small structures, which falls into the area of the tiny 12 inch statues that me and many other UFO researchers have found in NASA photos. The proof is right there in the NASA archives.
This report was sent into me today at UFO Sightings Daily and the persons security cam caught a fleet of UFOs heading home late at night. The footage at first looks to be a single craft but in reality its three or more. One of the craft seen in the screenshot is clearly a disk shaped craft, but these aliens are smart and know if they flare up the disks they will of course be mistaken for meteors. Its an old trick, but its been effective for aliens for thousands of years...until today. This video is 100% proof that UFOs exist.
What is happening in space that is causing so many meteorites to strike Earth and explode?
What is happening in space that is causing so many meteorites to strike Earth and explode?
Fireball sightings across the United States—and around the world have surged dramatically since the beginning of March, a period with no known major meteor streams. In several cases, fragments have reportedly crashed through rooftops in places like Germany, Ohio, and Texas, often accompanied by powerful sonic booms.
According to a commenter on Godlike Productions who reviewed recent data, as many as 7,663 fireballs have been recorded in just the past 30 days, compared to a total of only 297 between 2016 and 2025.
Early on, NASA suggested that some of these objects might be debris from Comet 31/ATLAS. However, that claim appears to have been walked back. Around the same time, NASA also shut down its public Near-Earth Object (NEO) comet tracking interface, raising further questions.
Despite the speculation, NASA maintains that there is nothing unusual happening.
According to Spaceweather: “Spring is fireball season,” explains Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office. “For reasons we don’t fully understand, the rate of bright meteors increases by as much as 30% in the weeks around the vernal equinox.” He adds that this pattern has been observed for more than 30 years, and that meteorite debris that actually reach the ground, also become more frequent during this time, which contradict the verified data of the commenter on Godlike Productions; 7,663 fireballs have been recorded in just the past 30 days, compared to a total of only 297 between 2016 and 2025.
Interestingly, not all recent events share the same origin. The fireballs observed over Texas and Ohio, for example, followed completely different trajectories, indicating they did not come from a single source.
If any of these meteorites were truly interstellar, such as potential fragments from 31/ATLAS, it would explain NASA's interest in recovering them. Such could, in theory, contain the building blocks of life, or even more complex organic signatures, though that remains speculative.
For now, the surge of fireballs continues across the globe with more reports of fireball sightings coming in, worldwide and although the official explanations point to a routine seasonal uptick, the numbers tell a different story. This isn’t just a typical “spring fireball season”, something unusual appears to be happening in space.
In the video below, Stefan Burns takes a closer look at the recent spike in sightings and examines whether these meteorites could be linked to 31/ATLAS or not.
On March 21, 2025, President Trump announced that Boeing had won the contract to build the United States Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, designated the F-47. It was the first time a new American air superiority fighter had been awarded since the F-22 Raptor over three decades earlier. The announcement ended a competition that had been running since at least 2015, survived a near-cancellation, and produced classified experimental aircraft that flew for years before the public ever heard about them.
This article covers what is publicly known about the F-47 as of early 2026, drawn from official Air Force statements, congressional budget documents, and credible defense reporting. Much about the aircraft remains classified, and where information is uncertain, that uncertainty is noted.
How NGAD Got to the F-47
The program traces back to a 2014 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency study called the Air Dominance Initiative. According to Aviation Week, that study concluded a single aircraft would not be enough for future air superiority. The future required a "family of systems" centered on a crewed fighter but supported by networked drones, advanced sensors, and new weapons.
In 2015, DARPA began funding full-scale X-plane demonstrators under a classified program worth roughly one billion dollars. Boeing and Lockheed Martin each built and flew experimental aircraft. Boeing's demonstrator first flew in 2019; Lockheed's followed in 2022, as confirmed by Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin after the contract award.
The public first learned about these demonstrators in September 2020, when Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper told reporters that a full-scale NGAD flight demonstrator had "broken records." He provided almost no details, but the disclosure signaled the program was far more mature than anyone outside the Pentagon had realized.
The Budget Crisis and Redesign
By 2024, NGAD was in trouble. Then-Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall paused the program, telling Defense News that the Air Force "just didn't have enough money" to afford both the sixth-generation fighter and its other modernization priorities. Estimates at the time placed the per-unit cost near $300 million, roughly three times the cost of an F-35.
Kendall ordered a cost reduction study. Options reportedly included a smaller airframe, fewer engines, reduced range, and offloading some capabilities to unmanned platforms. The study concluded that NGAD remained necessary but needed to be redesigned for affordability. That redesign shaped the final competition.
Why Boeing Won
The selection surprised much of the defense world. Lockheed Martin had built every Western stealth fighter in production: the F-22 and the F-35. Boeing had not built a new fighter since the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entered service in 1999.
According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the Air Force selected Boeing based on "best overall value." Several factors appear to have contributed.
Digital maturity: Boeing reportedly built a comprehensive digital twin of the F-47 before the prototype existed, allowing engineers to analyze radar signature, maintainability, and manufacturing processes entirely in software.
X-plane heritage: Boeing's DARPA-funded demonstrator had been flying since 2019, giving the company years of real flight data to refine its design before the formal competition began.
Industrial base diversification:As the Washington Post noted at the time, awarding the F-47 to Boeing "diversifies the production of U.S. military jets," reducing the Pentagon's dependence on a single stealth fighter manufacturer.
The contract is worth at least $20 billion for engineering and manufacturing development, according to Breaking Defense, with potential lifetime production orders valued in the hundreds of billions. Northrop Grumman, the only other company that might have competed, dropped out in 2023.
What We Know About the Aircraft
The F-47 is classified. The Air Force released a single artist rendering alongside the March 2025 announcement, but no photographs of the actual aircraft have been made public. The Air Force has, however, disclosed a handful of specific performance parameters through official statements and budget documents.
Artist rendering of the F-47 released by the U.S. Air Force in March 2025. The design shows a tailless, blended wing-body configuration consistent with analyst descriptions of "bomber-like" stealth shaping. (U.S. Air Force image)
Range and Speed
In May 2025, General Allvin confirmed that the F-47 will have a combat radius exceeding 1,000 nautical miles and a top speed above Mach 2, as reported by The War Zone. The combat radius is nearly double the F-22's estimated 590-nautical-mile range and substantially greater than the F-35A's roughly 600 nautical miles.
That range reflects the geography of a potential Pacific conflict. A fighter with 1,000-plus nautical miles of combat radius can reach contested areas around Taiwan or the South China Sea from bases in Guam or Japan without tanker support, or at least with tankers positioned much farther from threat zones. The F-22, by contrast, requires extensive tanker support for Pacific operations, and those tankers are themselves vulnerable to long-range Chinese missiles.
Stealth
The Air Force has described the F-47 as featuring "all-aspect, broadband low-observability," meaning reduced radar and infrared signatures from every angle and across multiple radar frequency bands. Some defense analysts have described the F-47's stealth shaping as "bomber-like," according to the National Security Journal, suggesting a design that prioritizes signature reduction over traditional fighter agility.
Propulsion
The F-47 is expected to use a next-generation adaptive cycle engine from the NGAP program. Both General Electric (XA102) and Pratt & Whitney (XA103) are building prototypes, according to congressional budget documents. These "three-stream" engines can switch between high-thrust combat mode and high-efficiency cruise mode, promising roughly 30 percent more range and double the cooling capacity compared to current engines.
The cooling capacity is not a minor detail. Sixth-generation fighters generate enormous heat from their sensors, computers, and electronic warfare systems. Managing that heat without degrading performance or creating a detectable infrared signature is a defining engineering challenge of this generation. Budget documents released in July 2025 revealed the NGAP program has slipped more than two years due to supply chain challenges, per Breaking Defense.
Sensors, AI, and Weapons
Specific sensor details are classified, but the F-47 is expected to carry a significantly more capable suite than any existing fighter. It will fuse electro-optical, infrared, synthetic aperture radar, and signals intelligence data into a single tactical picture, an evolution of the sensor fusion architecture pioneered on the F-35.
AI is central to the design. The aircraft will use edge computing for predictive threat modeling, processing sensor data and recommending tactical decisions faster than a human pilot could manage alone. This capability becomes essential when the F-47 operates as a command node for multiple autonomous wingmen.
No weapons loadout has been officially confirmed. Based on current Air Force procurement programs, analysts expect the F-47 to carry the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (replacing the AIM-120 AMRAAM), the AIM-174B for long-range engagements, and potentially the AGM-158D JASSM-XR cruise missile for strike missions. All weapons would be carried internally to preserve stealth.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft: The Drone Wingmen
The F-47 is not designed to fight alone. It will operate with Collaborative Combat Aircraft, autonomous drones that fly alongside the crewed fighter as "loyal wingmen." The Air Force envisions each F-47 controlling two or more CCAs that handle sensor coverage, weapons delivery, electronic warfare, or decoy missions.
Two CCA designs are in development. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the General Atomics YFQ-42A completed its first flight in August 2025, and the Anduril YFQ-44A (called "Fury") followed on October 31, 2025, flying semi-autonomously. Both are fighter-sized unmanned combat aircraft with internal weapons bays.
The Department of Defense has allocated $8.9 billion between 2025 and 2029 for CCA development, according to budget documents. The Air Force plans to buy more than 1,000 CCAs, roughly two for each F-47 and each F-35A in the fleet.
A flight of four F-47s with eight CCAs creates a twelve-platform formation sharing sensor data and distributing weapons. The CCAs can be sent into the most dangerous threat environments first, absorbing risk that would otherwise fall on crewed aircraft. If a CCA is lost, the cost is measured in dollars, not in pilots. The concept also builds on the broader shift toward autonomous systems that has accelerated from drone warfare lessons in Ukraine and other recent conflicts.
The Cost Problem
Estimated unit costs near $300 million make the F-47 one of the most expensive fighters ever built, roughly three times the cost of an F-35, according to multiple congressional analyses. The Air Force plans to buy approximately 185 aircraft, a fleet size that invites comparison to the F-22, which was capped at 187.
The pattern is familiar. The F-22 was originally planned for 750 aircraft before being cut to 187. The B-2 Spirit was designed for 132 bombers before being cut to 21. Some analysts have warned of a "math death spiral," per 19FortyFive, where rising costs lead to reduced orders, which further increase per-unit costs.
Congressional reaction has been mixed. The FY2025 NDAA cut $30.9 million from the NGAD budget, and the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended redirecting $557.1 million toward the CCA program, as reported by The Aviationist. But the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July 2025 provided $400 million specifically to accelerate F-47 production.
The Air Force's counterargument: if each F-47 operates with two affordable CCAs, the cost per combat-relevant platform drops considerably. One F-47 with two CCAs might cost the same as two or three F-35s while providing more capability. Whether that math holds will determine the program's long-term viability.
The Name: P-47 Thunderbolt and the 47th President
Air Force officials said the "47" honors the P-47 Thunderbolt, one of the most produced American fighters of World War II. The P-47 was a massive, rugged aircraft that excelled at both air combat and ground attack across every theater. After the Air Force became an independent service in 1947, the Thunderbolt was redesignated the F-47, making the modern designation a direct echo of that lineage.
The number also coincides with the founding year of the Air Force as an independent service in 1947, and with the number of the sitting president. Some defense outlets have reported that internal Air Force emails obtained through FOIA requests suggest the historical justification may have been developed after the designation was selected rather than before it, though the Air Force has not commented on this claim.
The Global Sixth-Generation Race
The F-47 does not exist in isolation. At least four other sixth-generation programs are underway, and the competitive dynamics between them are shaping force structure decisions across multiple continents.
Timeline and What Comes Next
The program is moving faster than most expected. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the Air Force confirmed within months of the March 2025 award that the first F-47 was already in production and on track for first flight in 2028. Operational capability is targeted for 2029, with initial fielding in the early 2030s.
That timeline is aggressive by historical standards. The F-22 took 14 years from contract award to initial operational capability. The F-35 took even longer. The F-47 aims to compress that schedule through years of X-plane testing, digital engineering, and a deliberate decision to begin manufacturing before all design work is complete.
The War Zone has reported that the Air Force is considering building the program in increments, with multiple versions of the F-47 produced over time, each incorporating new technologies as they mature. This approach, inspired by the "Century Series" fighters of the 1950s and 1960s, would avoid locking the fleet into a single design for decades.
The Real Question
The F-47 is arguably the most ambitious fighter program the Air Force has undertaken since the F-22. It combines stealth, range, speed, AI, and unmanned teaming in a package designed to maintain American air superiority through the 2060s and beyond.
But ambition and execution are not the same thing. The program faces escalating costs, potential schedule delays, congressional scrutiny, and the tension between building the best possible weapon and building enough of them to matter. The F-22's production was cut short not because the aircraft failed but because it was too expensive to buy in the numbers the Air Force needed. The F-47 could face the same fate.
What is clear is that the United States, China, and several allied nations have all concluded that sixth-generation air power is necessary. The investments are too large to be hedged. The F-47 is America's answer. Whether it becomes another F-22, a brilliant aircraft built in insufficient numbers, or something genuinely transformational will depend on decisions that have not yet been made, in a threat environment that is still evolving.
Key Takeaways
Boeing won a $20+ billion contract to build America's first sixth-generation fighter, beating Lockheed Martin in a decision the Air Force called "best overall value."
1,000+ nautical mile combat radius is nearly double the F-22's range, designed specifically for Pacific operations where tanker vulnerability is a critical concern.
Each F-47 will command 2+ autonomous drones. The Air Force plans to buy over 1,000 CCAs that share sensors, weapons, and risk with the crewed fighter
~$300 million per aircraft with a planned fleet of 185, facing the same cost pressures that cut the F-22 from 750 to 187.
China's J-36 may reach operational status first, but the Air Force believes the F-47 will be the superior system.
First flight targeted for 2028, operational by 2029, with fielding in the early 2030s.
NASA Astronaut's Bizarre Space Station Photo Reveals Orbiting Potato Experiment
NASA Astronaut's Bizarre Space Station Photo Reveals Orbiting Potato Experiment
NASA Astronaut's Space Station Photo Shows Orbiting Potato
A NASA astronaut has captured and shared a truly extraordinary photograph from aboard the International Space Station, depicting what initially appeared to be a bizarre, tentacled organism growing in the microgravity environment. The image, taken by veteran astronaut Don Pettit during Expedition 72, sparked widespread curiosity and humorous reactions across social media platforms before its mundane explanation was revealed.
The Mysterious Space Object
Don Pettit snapped the intriguing photograph during his mission, which spanned from 23 September 2024 to 18 April 2025. The unusual object bore a striking resemblance to an egg, with dark, root-like tentacles erupting vigorously from its base, creating an alien-like appearance that captivated viewers. The photograph quickly gained viral attention, amassing nearly 100,000 views and generating a flood of imaginative responses from the online community.
Astronaut Don Pettit shared the photo on his X account
(Picture: SWNS)
Social Media Reactions
Responding to the astronaut's post on X, formerly known as Twitter, users expressed both alarm and amusement at the strange sight. One concerned individual exclaimed, 'Kill it with fire!!!' while another commented, 'Bro I genuinely thought this was some kind of egg hatching.' A third user made a cinematic reference, joking, 'Looks like a mimic hatching out of an egg,' alluding to the 2017 science fiction film Prey. Other humorous remarks included suggestions for a 'zero-g fryer' and observations about the Velcro docking adapter visible in the image.
The Earthly Explanation
Despite its otherworldly appearance, the object had a remarkably ordinary explanation. Astronaut Pettit clarified that the mysterious entity was, in fact, a potato—specifically an early purple potato he had brought to the ISS for personal agricultural experiments. Dubbed 'Spudnik-1,' the potato was part of Pettit's off-duty space gardening activities, anchored in an improvised grow light terrarium using a spot of hook Velcro.
In his detailed explanation on X, Pettit emphasized the scientific rationale behind choosing potatoes for space cultivation. 'Potatoes are one of the most efficient plants based on edible nutrition to total plant mass, including roots,' he stated. The astronaut noted that potatoes' significance for future space exploration had been recognized in Andy Weir's book and subsequent film The Martian, prompting him to begin practical research aboard the ISS now.
The purple roots disgusted many online
(Picture: SWNS)
Space Versus Earth Cultivation
When questioned by a fan about how space-grown potatoes compare to their terrestrial counterparts, Pettit provided fascinating insights into microgravity agriculture. He explained that in the absence of gravity, the potato's roots grew in all directions rather than following their typical downward pattern. Additionally, he observed that all plants he has cultivated in space, including this potato, have demonstrated significantly slower growth rates compared to Earth-based cultivation.
Broader Context of Space Agriculture
This potato experiment represents just one facet of ongoing agricultural research aboard the International Space Station. To date, astronauts have successfully cultivated a diverse array of fruits, vegetables, and even flowers in the unique microgravity environment. NASA has articulated ambitious plans for expanding space agriculture, with teams at Kennedy Space Center envisioning future cultivation of tomatoes, peppers, berries, certain beans, and other antioxidant-rich foods.
These agricultural endeavors serve multiple purposes beyond nutritional supplementation. NASA has highlighted that antioxidant-rich foods could provide crew members with additional protection against space radiation—a significant concern for long-duration missions. The research aligns with broader preparations for future lunar and Martian exploration, where sustainable food production will be essential for crew survival and mission success.
Some online thought the potato roots looked like an alien
(Picture: SWNS)
The International Space Station: A Research Platform
The International Space Station serves as a $100 billion science and engineering laboratory orbiting approximately 250 miles above Earth. Continuously occupied since November 2000, the ISS has hosted 244 individuals from 19 countries, including eight private citizens. Research conducted aboard the station leverages unique conditions such as microgravity and specialized atmospheric composition to advance fields including human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy, and meteorology.
NASA allocates approximately $3 billion annually to the ISS program, with additional funding provided by international partners including the European Space Agency, Russian space agency, Japanese space agency JAXA, and the Canadian Space Agency. As the station approaches potential structural limitations beyond 2025, various nations and private entities are planning successor orbital platforms and lunar orbiting stations to continue advancing space research and exploration.
Don Pettit snapped the photo during Expedition 72, which took place from 23 September 2024 until 18 April 2025.
The unusual object almost looks like an egg, with black tentacles erupting from the base.
Responding to the astronaut on X (formerly Twitter), one user said: 'Kill it with fire!!!'
Another wrote: 'Bro I genuinely thought this was some kind of egg hatching.'
And one joked: 'Looks like a mimic hatching out of an egg,' in reference to the 2017 film, Prey.
While the object undeniably looks strange, there's actually a rather mundane explanation – it's a potato.
'Spudnik–1, an orbiting potato on @Space_Station!' Mr Pettit explained.
A NASA astronaut has shared a photo of a bizarre tentacled object growing on the International Space Station (ISS)
On X, Mr Pettit explained how the potato ended up on the ISS.
'I flew potatoes on Expedition 72 for my space garden, an activity I did in my off–duty time,' he said.
'This is an early purple potato, complete with spot of hook Velcro to anchor it in my improvised grow light terrarium.'
'Potatoes are one of the most efficient plants based on edible nutrition to total plant mass (including roots).
'Recognized by Andy Weir in his book/movie "The Martian," potatoes will have a place in future exploration of space.
'So I thought it good to get started now!'
In response to the photo, one fan asked Mr Pettit how it compared to growing potatoes on Earth.
The astronaut responded: 'The roots would grow in all directions absent gravity, and all plants I have ever grown in space have grown far slower than they would have on Earth.'
The unusual object almost looks like an egg, with black tentacles erupting from the base
Don Pettit snapped the photo during Expedition 72, which took place from 23 September 2024 until 18 April 2025
His post has garnered huge interest, with almost 100,000 views at the time of writing.
'someone needs to figure out a zero–g fryer asap,' one X user joked.
And one quipped: 'I hope you brought actual fertiliser this time,' in reference to The Martian, in which the lead character is forced to grow potatoes in his own waste.
To date, astronauts have grown a huge range of fruits, vegetables, and even flowers on the ISS.
'Our team at Kennedy Space Center envisions planting more produce in the future, such as tomatoes and peppers,' NASA explained.
'Foods like berries, certain beans and other antioxidant–rich foods would have the added benefit of providing some space radiation protection for crew members who eat them.'
The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (£80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.
It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000.
Crews have come mainly from the US and Russia, but the Japanese space agency JAXA and European space agency ESA have also sent astronauts.
The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for more than 20 years and has been expended with multiple new modules added and upgrades to systems
Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen.
ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology.
The US space agency, NASA, spends about $3 billion (£2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, with the remaining funding coming from international partners, including Europe, Russia and Japan.
So far 244 individuals from 19 countries have visited the station, and among them eight private citizens who spent up to $50 million for their visit.
There is an ongoing debate about the future of the station beyond 2025, when it is thought some of the original structure will reach 'end of life'.
Russia, a major partner in the station, plans to launch its own orbital platform around then, with Axiom Space, a private firm, planning to send its own modules for purely commercial use to the station at the same time.
NASA, ESA, JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are working together to build a space station in orbit around the moon, and Russia and China are working on a similar project, that would also include a base on the surface.
NASA has revealed plans to build a $20billion (£14.9billion) permanent base on the moon.
New chief Jared Isaacman, who joined the agency in December, has announced a 'focus shift', prioritising a lunar habitat that allows for 'long–duration human presence'.
He said NASA will spend the next seven years constructing the station at the moon's south pole over dozens of missions.
Artist impressions of the base feature futuristic rovers, communication devices, solar panels, habitat modules and launch pads on the moon's surface.
The station will represent the next step towards 'achieving the near–impossible', he said, and will 'ensure American leadership in space'.
'There will be an evolutionary path to building humanity's first permanent surface outpost beyond Earth, and we will take the world along with us,' Mr Isaacman told a conference at NASA headquarters in Washington.
'This time the goal is not flags and footprints,' he added.
'This time the goal is to stay.'
Artist impressions of the moon base feature futuristic rovers, communication devices, solar panels, habitat modules and launch pads on the lunar surface
Building the moon base will take place over three phases, NASA said.
The first involves a shift from infrequent missions to a 'repeatable' approach that increases the tempo of lunar activity.
Phase two will see a move towards semi–habitable infrastructure involving rovers and other forms of transportation.
Finally, for phase three, NASA 'will deliver heavier infrastructure needed for a continuous human foothold on the moon'.
This will include multi–purpose habitats created by the Italian Space Agency and lunar utility vehicles from the Canadian Space Agency.
The 'habitation module' will be three metres wide and six metres long (10 feet by 20 feet) with a mass of around 15 tonnes.
It will have wheels, allowing it to be easily moved across the moon's surface. It is also completely self–sufficient, providing power and heat for inhabitants.
The module has currently been designed to be able to support two astronauts for between seven and 30 days – or a larger crew for short periods in case of an emergency.
The Italian Space Agency's habitation module will safely host astronauts during their missions, support surface operations, enable scientific research experiments both with and without the presence of a human crew, and have the capability to move on the surface (artist's impression)
A concept image of a pressurised rover on the surface of the Moon. The rover will boast robotics, cameras, sensors and scientific instruments, acting as a 'mobile laboratory' for exploration activities
Solar array systems will help power exploration of the Moon. Pictured: An illustration of the device, which can deploy up to 32 feet high
Where will the astronauts live?
Visitors to the moon would be stationed in a 'habitation module' currently being built by the Italian Space Agency
They are three metres wide and six metres long with a mass of 15 tonnes
Five main substations control the inner atmosphere, temperature and humidity, with an in–built water and waste management system
The module will have wheels, allowing it to be easily moved across the moon's surface.
It is also completely self–sufficient, providing power and heat
The module has currently been designed to be able to support two astronauts for between seven and 30 days – or a larger crew for short periods in case of an emergency
NASA said its moon base plans also include a pressurised rover, which has been designed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
This is a mobile habitat that can allow astronauts to explore much further than current moonwalks allow, supporting two crew members as it traverses across the lunar surface.
The rover will boast robotics, cameras, sensors and scientific instruments, acting as a 'mobile laboratory' for exploration activities.
'The objective is clear: build the foundation for an enduring lunar base and take the next step towards Mars,' Mr Isaacman wrote on X.
In a nod to the race against China to build a permanent base on the moon, Mr Isaacman said: 'The clock is running in this great‑power competition, and success or failure will be measured in months, not years.'
He added that 'building a base will seem pale in comparison to what we will be capable of accomplishing in the years ahead'.
NASA has also announced that in order to focus on the moon base project, it would be suspending plans to create Lunar Gateway – its lunar orbital space station.
'The agency intends to pause Gateway in its current form and shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations,' Mr Isaacman said.
NASA said lunar utility vehicles from the Canadian Space Agency (pictured) will also be needed
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who joined the agency last year, said focus needs to 'shift' towards establishing a permanent base on the moon
The Gateway orbital lunar station was meant to serve both as a point of transfer for astronauts headed to the Moon as well as a platform for research.
The suspension of the initiative isn't entirely surprising – some had criticised it as financially wasteful or a distraction from other lunar ambitions.
Putting it on hold will allow for the redirection of efforts and resources towards the construction of the base near the strategic south lunar pole, Mr Isaacman explained, which was already a goal.
Last month, NASA said it was reshuffling its Artemis programme that has suffered multiple delays in recent years, as it aims to ensure Americans can return to the Moon's surface by 2028.
That goal remains unchanged, but the US space agency is shifting its flight lineup to include a test mission before an eventual lunar landing to improve launch 'muscle memory'.
That strategic revision came amid repeated delays to the Artemis 2 mission, which was originally due to take off as early as February, but is now targeting early April. It is meant to see the first flyby of the Moon in more than half a century.
Launch date: NASA initially identifiedthree possible launch windows for Artemis II: From February 6 to February 11, from March 6 to March 11, and from April 1 to April 6. The space agency is now targeting the April window.
Mission objective:To complete a lunar flyby, passing the 'dark side' of the moon and test systems for a future lunar landing.
Total distance to travel: 620,000 miles (one million km)
Mission duration: 10 days
Estimated total cost: $44billion (£32.5billion)
- NASA Space Launch System rocket: $23.8billion (£17.6billion)
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Over mijzelf
Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
Ik ben een man en woon in Linter (België) en mijn beroep is Ik ben op rust..
Ik ben geboren op 18/10/1950 en ben nu dus 75 jaar jong.
Mijn hobby's zijn: Ufologie en andere esoterische onderwerpen.
Op deze blog vind je onder artikels, werk van mezelf. Mijn dank gaat ook naar André, Ingrid, Oliver, Paul, Vincent, Georges Filer en MUFON voor de bijdragen voor de verschillende categorieën...
Veel leesplezier en geef je mening over deze blog.
