The legend of the SR-91 Aurora, an alleged hypersonic spy plane purported to be the successor of the iconic SR-71 Blackbird, has endured for decades, captivating the imaginations of military tech enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists alike.

The tantalizing notion of a Mach 5+ aircraft developed in secretive “black projects” has emerged from a complex web of rumors, alleged sightings, and speculative testimony, leaving many to ponder the boundaries of aviation technology.

The mysterious “sky quakes” heard over Los Angeles in the 1990s and the strange contrail patterns resembling “doughnuts on a rope,” have been cited by some as evidence of the Aurora’s pulse-detonation engines and high-speed flights.

As Brandon J. Weichert, a national security analyst noted, the U.S. has been experimenting with radical technologies in the desert since the late 1940s, and the Aurora could be one of many prototypes that test the limits of our understanding of flight and physics.

The tale of the legendary SR-91 Aurora, a Mach 5+ spy plane, originated from the conclusion of the illustrious SR-71 Blackbird spy plane program.

Following the retirement of the SR-71, the US military sought to introduce an even more advanced and revolutionary platform. This proposition faced skepticism, given the SR-71 Blackbird’s remarkable achievements and numerous records set during its service to the nation.

Surrounded by secrecy and still unverified to this day, the presumed successor to the SR-71 was the SR-91 “Aurora.”

The Aurora spy plane was rumored to possess a delta or wedge-shaped design, similar to the renowned B-2 stealth bomber, which also emerged from clandestine origins.

It was purported that the Aurora could reach speeds of up to Mach 5, with the ultimate goal of the alleged SR-91 Aurora project being the development of a spy plane capable of achieving speeds up to Mach 9.

The U.S. government has consistently denied the existence of such an aircraft, and while anecdotal reports and unexplained phenomena have given rise to legends, no prototype has been definitively identified.

The alleged evidence comprises accounts of seismic activity in the vicinity of Los Angeles, which could potentially be attributed to military aircraft at the Area 51 base in Nevada.

However, there is no indication that these aircraft were SR-91 prototype models.

In a well-known incident from 1989 over the North Sea, observers may have mistakenly identified a B-2 Spirit aircraft as an SR-91. The B-2 Spirit was a newly introduced bomber at the time and possessed a triangular configuration similar to the shape described by eyewitnesses.

A 1990 article by Aviation Week & Space Technology sparked initial interest when it revealed that the term “Aurora” appeared in U.S. budget documents, leading to rampant speculation.

However, Ben Rich, the former head of Lockheed Martin’s Skunkworks, clarified in his memoir that “Aurora” was merely a budgetary code name for the B-2 bomber funding and not indicative of a hypersonic plane project. “Although I expect few in the media to believe me, there is no codename for the hypersonic plane, because it simply does not exist,” Rich stated, attempting to put the rumors to rest.

Relevant articles:
– SR-91 Aurora: The U.S. Military’s Mach 5 Spy Plane (That Isn’t Real?), The National Interest
– The SR-91 Aurora Mach 5 Spy Plane Was Never Real, The National Interest
– SR-91 Aurora Spy Plane: Mach 5 Fact or Fiction?, 19FortyFive
– 91 Aurora aircraft, Defence Aviation