The US isn’t the only nation in the world with several top-secret aerospace projects. In fact, some of the wildest ideas came from the other side of the Iron Curtain. Here are three examples of the Soviet Union’s black projects:
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M-25 Sonic Boom
Designed to fly low and fast over a battlefield, the M-25 was expected to generate a massive shockwave of air in its wake. It used the sound compression of the sonic boom to disable troops on the ground without destroying other facilities.
So far, the M-25 is the first and only aircraft designed to use its sonic boom to inflict damage to the enemy. It was never built, however.
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DSB-LK Darkstar
This secret Soviet project from the 50s would have yielded the fastest military aircraft ever built. Flying at hypersonic speeds at a hundred thousand feet, the long-range strategic bomber flying wing was in a league of its own. It was expected to be able to fly anywhere in the world, making it one of the scariest prospects on paper.
Much like the M-25, the Darkstar also didn’t survive the development phase.
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A-57 Bartini
A radical new aircraft design, also developed in the 1950s, was probably the most overkill bomber aircraft ever designed. This bomber was a flying boat that could fly vertically, carried the biggest nuclear weapons the Soviets had in hand, and had its own parasite fighter capable of scouting, defense, and independent strikes.
It could also land anywhere, from water to desert, and could be refueled from submarines in remote lagoons and lakes. Like the other two on the list, this program was later cancelled.