Not only were America's adversaries exploring experimental aircraft, but the U.S. was secretly developing advanced spy planes and stealth fighters, such as the SR-71 Blackbird, and later the F-117 Nighthawk, through black projects at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division.
Ben Rich's stealth fighter is a product of an arm of the Lockheed Corporation known by the improbable name Skunk Works.