Developed by Lockheed Martin’s fabled Skunk Works, which gave birth to famous aircraft such as the U-2, SR-71 and the F-117 stealth fighter, the RQ-170 Sentinel is a flying wing, pure jet stealth UAV. It was dubbed the “Beast of Kandahar” after it was observed in operation near Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. Little is known about the Sentinel’s details or capabilities, but Aviation Week magazine estimates that it has a 66-foot wingspan and a takeoff weight of 8,500 pounds. As spy shots of the aircraft in flight and on the ground flooded the blogosphere and aviation enthusiast media last year, the U.S. Air Force reluctantly confirmed the UAV’s existence, saying “The RQ-170 will directly support combatant commander needs for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to locate targets.”

7 Unmanned Airborne Warriors