Editing Lockheed Martin RQ-3 DarkStar (section)

== Design and development ==
The RQ-3 DarkStar was designed as a "[[High-Altitude Long Endurance|high-altitude endurance]] UAV", and incorporated [[stealth aircraft]] technology<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/darkstar.htm|title = DarkStar Tier III Minus}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fas.org/irp/program/collect/darkstar.htm|title=DarkStar Tier III Minus}}</ref> to make it difficult to detect, which allowed it to operate within heavily defended airspace, unlike the [[Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk]], which is unable to operate except under conditions of [[air supremacy]]. The DarkStar was fully autonomous: it could take off, fly to its target, operate its sensors, transmit information, return and land without human intervention. Human operators, however, could change the DarkStar's flight plan and sensor orientation through radio or satellite relay. The RQ-3 carried either an optical sensor or radar, and could send digital information to a satellite while still in flight. It used a single [[airbreathing jet engine]] of unknown type for propulsion. One source claims it used a [[Williams FJ44|Williams-Rolls-Royce FJ44-1A]] turbofan engine.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cowboylogic.us/stalking-iran-and-bin-ladin-with-a-drone/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-03-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409222854/http://cowboylogic.us/stalking-iran-and-bin-ladin-with-a-drone/ |archive-date=2016-04-09 }}</ref>

The first prototype made its first flight on March 29, 1996, but its second flight, on April 22, 1996, ended in a crash shortly after takeoff. A modified, more stable design (the RQ-3A) first flew on June 29, 1998, and made a total of five flights before the program was canceled just prior to the sixth and final flight planned for the airworthiness test phase. Two additional RQ-3As were built, but never made any flights before program cancellation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lockheed Martin RQ-3A Dark Star {{!}} The Museum of Flight |url=https://www.museumofflight.org/exhibits-and-events/aircraft/lockheed-martin-rq-3a-dark-star |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Museum of Flight |language=en}}</ref>

The "R" is the Department of Defense designation for reconnaissance; "Q" means unmanned aircraft system. The "3" refers to it being the third of a series of purpose-built unmanned reconnaissance aircraft systems.

Although the RQ-3 was terminated on January 28, 1999, a July 2003 ''Aviation Week and Space Technology'' article reported in April 2003 that a derivative of the RQ-3 had been used in the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://aviationweek.com/awin/classified-lockheed-martin-unmanned-reconnaissance-aircraft-was-used-iraq|title=A Classified Lockheed Martin Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft Was Used in Iraq &#124; Aviation Week Network}}</ref> There has been no independent confirmation.{{cn|date=January 2024}}