A recently released thermal image of an aircraft near Area 51 has sparked interest in a 'Christmas Tree' stealth fighter concept designed by Darold Cummings in the 1980s. The image, which appears to show a previously unseen advanced aircraft design, has been linked to the forthcoming F-47 fighter from Boeing.
The 'Christmas Tree' concept, also known as the DP-21, features a unique nose configuration with a series of highly swept surfaces. According to Cummings, this design could provide an advanced fighter aircraft with improved low-observable characteristics.
The image of the mystery aircraft, which was captured near the U.S. military's secretive Groom Lake test base, shows a distinctive double-arrowhead shape and large canard foreplanes. While the exact profile of the front of the design is unclear, the image has raised questions about the potential influence of Cummings' DP-21 concept on the F-47 design.
