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Courtesy Juliee London via Instagram
The so-called "Beltway UFO" is actually an 82-foot drone.
Beltway traffic in Washington, D.C., is bad enough without adding extraterrestrial vehicles into the mix.
On Wednesday night, Facebook and Twitter users went wild over sightings of a saucer-shaped vessel being towed on local highways. The buzz called to mind the frenzy in 1947 Roswell, albeit in a much more modern way.
Drivers spotted the craft on I-270 and on the Beltway as it was pulled behind a tractor trailer.
For more, visit NBCWashington.com
But we can take the "unidentified" out of "unidentified flying object." (And yes, we realize that it wasn't actually flying, either.) The military has confirmed to NBC News affiliate News4 that the 82-foot-long craft is an unmanned military aircraft, known as an X-47B.
Maryland State Police towed it on a flatbed trailer from Garrett County, Md., to Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
The drone had come all the way from California -- and yes, it "always attracts attention," a military spokesperson told NBC4's Melissa Mollet.
The craft is the second of its kind to come to the area. An X-47B arrived in late 2011 -- although if they towed that one on the Beltway, no one must have noticed.
Poll: Americans OK with some domestic drones
"In the coming months, you can expect to see the X-47B flying over the base and surrounding area along the Chesapeake Bay," said Matt Funk, lead test engineer.
According to a military press release:
The X-47B is the first unmanned vehicle designed to take off and land on an aircraft carrier. As part of the program's demonstration, the X-47B will perform arrested landings and catapult launches at Pax to validate its ability to conduct precision approaches to the carrier. The base is one of only a few sites in the world where the Navy can run performance tests on aircraft-carrier catapult operations at a land-based facility with flight test and engineering support resources not available on a ship.
Although Maryland State Police helped orchestrate the the drone's Wednesday night commute, even they didn't know what it was at the time, police told News4.
"Don't worry, that's not an alien spacecraft, just a flying military robot. [That was a] totally normal sentence in 2012. I love the future," Ben Jacobs tweeted.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
Leave a Comment:
So if a fighter jet costs $420 million, what do you think this thing cost? Does it atleast come with a racing stripe option or engine upgrade?
420 million box tops.
Hey Horse crap. These things are relatively cheap so to speak. You can pick up most of the parts at
Wal-Mart, Sears, Wholesale Clubs, Dollars stores, and even 5 Below.
I think what they did was very smart. They towe an X-47B unmanned drone that looks like a UFO across the country (it came all the way from California) and let everyone see it. Once we get used to seeing these drones they can feel confident enough to cart a real UFO across the country without taking pains to conceal it and we'll never know the difference. (not counting the cigar-shaped ones, though) Hidden in plain sight!
What a shock... more drones in the US. LAND OF THE FREE, BABY!
Instead of transporting it from CA, they should have flown it real close to the ground along the southern border and scared off a bunch of illegals.
As childish and redneck as that sounds......WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!! Scare the hell out of those invaders. Right on.
This probably explains why the country is in so much debt.
If I had a nickel....... These drones used to protect our borders is a good idea. They are effective and economical. It is the business of the federal government to protect the citizenry of the USA from foreign invaders and to be honest, this is the first thing they should be doing but it seems like it's the last. Bring our troops back home, put them on the borders with this kind of technology and we will have an effective immigration policy in place. Man am I going take a beating on this post.
Robert...I'm with you here in AZ. I'm a believer in fixing the leak and then clean up the mess!
I don't think drones on the boarder are such a bad idea but I think we have better ones than this to use there. This it outfitted with a jet engine and looks like its designed to get in and out fast. For our boarders it would make more sense to use one of the Predator drones or the Global Hawk. they have huge wingspans and are designed to stay aloft for long periods of time to stare at the ground. The X-47B was designed as a stealth craft and I don't think we need that kind of capability wasted on boarder patrol.
What borders, bud~haven't you heard ~ we are all one world afterall with the Bush Dynasty's globalization aka Fourth Reich NWO!
Um, Doc, you need to get out more.... This is 2012, and Obamanation is in command now. Ask Mr Peabody to take you home now.
They have "cleared up" nothing, but they have "covered up something!!!!" Hiding in plain sight!!!!!
I knew it! The military are aliens. "Men in Black" in reality.
First off, click on one of the links of the name of the aircraft, and you can see what one of these looks like while being transported during the day. Obviously the same thing. As for those who say it is too large to be a drone. Realize that this thing is also designed to carry large payloads (over two tons). That requires a larger powerplant and corresponding size to keep it aloft compared to surveillance drones. However, I don't think this is the B variant, but the C variant (the B was supposed to be only 32 feet long or something similar, with the C larger and with a much larger payload).
Hello APro123. Did you know Sarah Palin is a Space alien ? She a breeder too. Just look at Crystal.
Remember what she used to look like. She's a shape shifter. How do you think Sarah Palin travels around so fast? She just pops in and out of nowhere. She kept this Space craft hidden under the ice in Alaska for centurys. But now since all the ice is melting and the Mayans clock is running out of time she surfaced and is going to run the world with the other Space Alien Rommey.
Sarah Palin, really Fran,you might want to get a new poster or at least dry that one off.
It is a photo finish when it comes to who is more annoying and delusional, the religiouswits or the UFOwits! One group always thinks that an invisible flying carpenter helped their dog find his way back to the house and the other morons think anything that appears anywhere near nightfall is a "cover up"! The earth needs a good long solid 5 year plague as it is pretty obvious that 35-40% of humans are already brain dead. Then along comes the internet where any red-state, 3 toothed hick can hop on a keyboard and become a know-it-all! Plague please!
There's one born every minute, pal and you're it! Tagged as an imbecile!
Yes, and if there is one, then I hope that you're one of the first people to become a casualty of that plague, Never3putts. Take your Zero Growth Population death cult ideas to the hell that you seem to want humanity to go to, bub. Meanwhile, if there are any sexy, tall, curvy female models that are out there, you have a good man to go to when the world ends up going to seed because of dimwits like that guy and it isn't him.
The X-47B is not a UFO. It is a baddass lil plane. It was actually designed after the B-2 Stealth Bomber by the AF and about two years ago they gave it to the Navy for their special operations. It was the reason we found Osama Bin Laden because the previous Drones used were getting shot down by Al Qaeda, so they swithed to this stealth drone. You already know the rest of that story...just an FYI for all those that are freakin out.
Close, they look similar but the one we used around Pakistan was the RQ-170. It was put out before this X-47B. The X-47 is a navy plane and sounds like its going to go out with aircraft carriers but I haven't heard of it actually being deployed yet. Same general idea, just a little different plane.
Its just a navy drone peoples, go type in X-47B at the popsci website and they have great pictures of it. Yes from a side profile its prety hard to see any wings but from any other angle they're pretty obvious. This technology is awesome and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
Oh, the military cleared it up. That must be the answer then. Because the military is so forthcoming with information to the public. Ever heard the phrase "hidden in plain sight?"
At least they didn't say it was a weather balloon this time.
BULL-SHIRT, and if you believe the military, you are dumber than a box of rocks! It's a back engineered craft from Groom Lake!
Yea cuz the military always lets us know about these things.
They're talking about test flights.
When this happens, the phone line are going to light up big time and we'll see many posts of it on the net calling it a UFO. Heh heh.
Fake.
UFO is Satan lie!
You need to first prove that Lucifer/Satan has a monopoly on UFOs, Thomas Dickensheets, otherwise know your role and shut your piehole and quit polluting the world with your air and noise pollution. Angels of the Godly kind can and do change forms, too, but the so-called "Christians" such as yourself refuse to acknowledge this fact. After all, who invented the rules of war, let alone the humans and angels of both varieties that fight those wars, hmm? Figure it out, genius!
"klaatu baraada nikto"
"dont worry its not a ufo its a military flying robot (drone)" [close enough]
1) keep your suggestions to yourself---I will worry about what I want to worry about [GDI)
2) I would sleep better if it was indeed a ufo and not a drone
And of course they will hide (everything)-----et is a threat to government (lie cheat steal)--think about that
potobabou
"dont worry its not a ufo its a military flying robot (drone)" [close enough]
1) keep your suggestions to yourself---I will worry about what I want to worry about [GDI)
2) I would sleep better if it was indeed a ufo and not a drone
And of course they will hide (everything)-----et is a threat to government (lie cheat steal)--think about that "
Oh! mannn who woke you up ? Have another hit and go back to sleep.
That was no UFO. It was a Republican with an idea. It's been so long since anyone has seen one that they look like they're from outer space.
For those that arent up with the times! BTW Happy Birthday to the oldest Branch of Service! Hooah!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/munchicken/60763653/
Um, Snake_Doctor, as much as I admire your service to our country (and that a friend of mine served in Vietnam in your fine military organization), are you not being a bit off-topic when it comes to the subject material at hand? I am curious to know what your opinions are on the story and I would also like to know what you think about the article, okay? Thank you for the answer.
It's funny that the airforce continues to copy the technology of something that "never existed". Let's all have some more Kool Aid
Look, simply sit back and ask yourself "Why the HELL would the military transport this in plain view without covering it or something?" THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO. It is to be used as a convenient excuse for covering something ELSE up. You are being led.
And there you have it folks the greatest cover up of all times reviled before your very eyes and just think over all these years of lies over ufo,s and people been falling for this junk so long a story that is not true in no way ever ask yourself why do ufo,s pop up in certain places of the world and not your town?Please if this was a real ufo they would go anywhere they want such b.s good one goverment you fooled more people again
Interesting way to transport this aircraft. Makes ya wonder why it wasn't covered.
Walmart doesn't carry tarps that big! LOL