Military

‘Shikaka’ Flies — Air Force Video Reveals Top Secret ‘Great White Bat’

November 19, 2021Mac Caltrider
great white bat

The RQ-180’s existence has never been confirmed, but a new video appears to reveal the “Great White Bat.” Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

The US Air Force’s Profession of Arms Center of Excellence recently released a video titled “Heritage Today — ISR and Innovation” that appears to reveal the secret RQ-180 High-Altitude, Long-Endurance (HALE) stealth drone, which some airmen have reportedly nicknamed “The Great White Bat.”


The aircraft, which was sighted over the Mojave Desert in 2020, the Philippines in September of 2021, and Area 51 earlier this month, has never been confirmed to exist by the Air Force or its purported maker, Northrop Grumman.


Aviation Week reported last year that airmen on Edwards Air Force Base gave the drone its nickname — a reference to the fictional sacred white bat “Shikaka” in 1995’s Ace Venture: When Nature Calls



The new video highlights the Air Force’s strides in Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance, or ISR, from gathering information about enemy capabilities to combating natural disasters.


But the highlight of the video comes at the 2:23 minute mark, when the narrator states, “The days of balloons and biplanes have been replaced by white bats.” The video then cuts to an image of the RQ-180 in all its glory. To catch a glimpse of the mythical Great White Bat, or Shikaka, watch the full video above.


Read Next: Comanche: America’s Stealth Helicopter That Could Have Been



Mac Caltrider
Mac Caltrider

Mac Caltrider is a senior staff writer for Coffee or Die Magazine. He served in the US Marine Corps and is a former police officer. Caltrider earned his bachelor’s degree in history and now reads anything he can get his hands on. He is also the creator of Pipes & Pages, a site intended to increase readership among enlisted troops. Caltrider spends most of his time reading, writing, and waging a one-man war against premature hair loss.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Coffee Or Die Photo
Get Your Viking On: The Exclusive 30 Sec Out BRCC Shirt Club Design

Thirty Seconds Out has partnered with BRCC for an exclusive shirt design invoking the God of Winter.

Grizzly Forge BRCC shirt
Limited Edition: Grizzly Forge Blades on an Awesome BRCC Shirt

Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.

BRCC Limited Edition Josh Raulerson Blackbeard Skull Shirt
From Naval Service to Creative Canvas: BRCC Veteran Artist Josh Raulerson

Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.

Medal of Honor is held up.
Biden Will Award Medal of Honor to Army Helicopter Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers in Vietnam Firefight

Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.

dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2024 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved