This Jet was So Fast the US Had to Steal One

In a secret base buried deep within the Nevada desert, a pilot climbs into a jet unlike anything ever built on American soil.

The controls are alien, scattered with no apparent logic, covered in strange, foreign letters. No ordinary pilot could ever decipher the maze of dials and switches. Yet somehow, the man in the cockpit knows exactly what to touch, twist, and ignite to send the machine surging skyward at an impossible rate of 45,000 feet per minute.

A formation of supersonic Northrop T-38 Talons scrambles to intercept, but as they close in, the mysterious aircraft begins to shapeshift midair. Its wings sweep backward, transforming it into a delta-winged predator slicing through the sky at twice the speed of sound.

The Talons close in, but the jet ahead breaks away. The chase is over before it begins, leaving the pilots trying to figure out how on earth they will ever beat an enemy they can’t even catch.

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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.

All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.