Part 3/10:
The vehicle, measuring 160 feet long and a hefty 560 tons, had been shrouded in secrecy, developed at Lockheed's covert facility in Redwood City. Its construction was part of classified "black" programs, aiming to address an emerging threat in naval warfare: radar-guided, sea-skimming missiles, which had become accessible to smaller navies. Such weapons posed a significant risk to traditional naval forces, necessitating the need for stealthier vessels.