re: Why was it just dropped in the drink?
LJK said:
>Don't they want to examine the X-43 or at least keep the
>technology from falling into "enemy" hands - whoever that
>may be at the moment.
There was no room for a parachute.
The X-43a was still going supersonic when it hit the water. All that kinetic energy would have instantly gone to heat. The X-43a was probably boiled and cavitated into metallic dust within milliseconds after impact.
Gary