From ROK Drop:
Via Terry
By GI Korea on May 17th, 2011 at 3:12 am
US To Develop Drone Based Carriers To Counter Chinese Missiles
» by GI Korea in: U.S. Navy
It looks like we could be seeing a drone only carrier in the near future to overcome China’s anti-carrier missile advantage:
» by GI Korea in: U.S. Navy
It looks like we could be seeing a drone only carrier in the near future to overcome China’s anti-carrier missile advantage:
The U.S. is developing aircraft carrier-based drones that could provide a crucial edge as it tries to counter China’s military rise.
American officials have been tightlipped about where the unmanned armed planes might be used, but a top Navy officer has told The Associated Press that some would likely be deployed in Asia.
“They will play an integral role in our future operations in this region,” predicted Vice Adm. Scott Van Buskirk, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, which covers most of the Pacific and Indian oceans. [Associated Press]
This concept has actually been discussed for a few years now and Tom Ricks has even recommended calling any drone based carrier the USS Obama.
Source and comments at:
http://rokdrop.com/2011/05/17/us-to-develop-drone-based-carriers-to-counter-chinese-missiles/comment-page-1/#comment-418258
And this, related, from http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/x-47.html
Northrop Grumman X-47 Pegasus
In June 2000, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded the first study contracts for a carrier-based unmanned combat aircraft - labeled UCAV-N (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle - Naval) - to Northrop Grumman and Boeing. At that time, Northrop Grumman was already privately developing its Pegasus UCAV demonstrator, which was completed in July 2001. In June, it had received the official military designation X-47A (Boeing's UCAV-N was designated as X-46A). The X-47A was extensively tested on the ground during 2001 and 2002 (including taxiing), and the first flight finally occurred on 23 February 2003.
X-47A
The X-47A was a stealth design with no vertical control surfaces, yaw control being achieved by differential movements of surfaces in the wings. The all-composite airframe was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney JT15D turbofan. The vehicle's computer-based control system performed flight control, navigation, mission control and other tasks. The Pegasus was equipped with a U.S. Navy Shipboard Relative GPS navigation system, which would have been necessary for automatic pin-point landings on a moving aircraft carrier deck. On its first flight, the X-47A tested that system by making an exact landing on a pre-designated spot on the runway.
X-47A
As it turned out, the first flight of the X-47A remained the only one so far. In April 2003, DARPA combined the UCAV-N program with the on-going USAF/DARPA UCAV program into the joint DARPA/USAF/Navy J-UCAV program, later renamed J-UCAS (Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems). Northrop Grumman apparently decided that further flight tests of the X-47A would not help the development of its forthcoming J-UCAS demonstrator, designated X-47B.
The airframe of the X-47B has not much in common with that of the X-47A. It is significantly larger, has a more powerful P&W F100 turbofan engine, and redesigned outer wing sections and intake/exhaust configurations. The wing extensions provide for longer range and better low-speed characteristics, and are foldable to reduce parking space on the aircraft carrier. The payload capacity for J-UCAS was to be 2040 kg (4500 lb), representing two GBU-31/B JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) GPS/INS-guided bombs. Northrop Grumman was under contract to build two (originally three) X-47Bs, and flight testing, together with the rival Boeing X-45C, was expected to begin in 2007.
X-47B
The J-UCAS development effort was defined in terms of "spirals". The X-45A UCAV demonstrator was "Spiral 0", while the X-45C and X-47B represented "Spiral 1". Later spirals were to further enhance the mission capabilities of the system by integrating more sensor and weapon options. The ultimate goal had been labeled J-UOS (J-UCAS Objective System) by DARPA.
In early January 2006, the J-UCAS program was cancelled in favor of separate follow-on programs by the USAF and U.S. Navy, and - in case of the Air Force - the development of new manned long-range bomber aircraft. The Navy has since effectively taken over the J-UCAS program under a new label (first N-UCAS, then UCAS-D (Demonstrator)), and parallel development of the X-47B and X-45C vehicles as carrier-based UCAVs continued until mid-2007. In August 2007, the Navy announced the X-47B as the winner of the UCAS-D competition. Primary goal of the six-year X-47B development and evaluation program is the demonstration of launches and recoveries on an aircraft carrier at sea. The completed X-47B was officially unveiled in December 2008, and the first flight of the vehicle is scheduled for late 2009.
Specifications
Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!
Data for X-47A/B:
X-47A X-47B
Length 8.50 m (27.9 ft) 11.6 m (38.2 ft)
Wingspan 8.47 m (27.8 ft) 18.9 m (62.1 ft)
Weight (gross) 2500 kg (5500 lb) 19000 kg (42000 lb)
Speed Subsonic High subsonic
Ceiling ? > 12200 m (40000 ft)
Range ? 6500 km (3500 nm)
Propulsion Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5C turbofan; 14.2 kN (3190 lb) Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220U turbofan; 71.2 kN (16000 lb)
Main Sources
[1] DARPA J-UCAS Website
[2] Air Force Technology Website
Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4
And this, related, from Northrop Grumman:
X-47B UCAS
Program Overview:
The X-47B is a tailless, strike fighter-sized unmanned system currently under development by Northrop Grumman as part of the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. Under a contract awarded in 2007, the company has designed, developed and is currently producing two X-47B aircraft. In the 2013 timeframe, these aircraft will be used to demonstrate the first carrier-based launches and recoveries by an autonomous, low-observable relevant unmanned aircraft. The UCAS-D program will also be used to mature relevant carrier landing and integration technologies, and to demonstrate autonomous aerial refueling by the X-47B aircraft.
Foundation for the Future:
UCAS-D is designed to help the U.S. Navy explore the future of unmanned carrier aviation. A successful UCAS-D flight test program, including a series of successful carrier-based launches and recoveries, will help set the stage for the development of a more permanent, carrier-based fleet of unmanned aircraft.
And this, related, also from Northrop Grumman:
Northrop Grumman-built U.S. Navy X-47B Unmanned Combat Aircraft Completes Historic First Flight
First-of-its-Kind, Tailless Aircraft Moves Closer to Carrier Trials in 2013
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Feb. 4, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC)-built U.S. Navy X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) aircraft successfully completed its historic first flight at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), Calif.
Conducted by a U.S. Navy/Northrop Grumman test team, the flight took off at 2:09 p.m. PST and lasted 29 minutes. This event marks a critical step in the program, moving the team forward to meet the demonstration objectives of a tailless fighter-sized unmanned aircraft to safely take off from and land on the deck of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.
A social media version of this release that includes photos, video clips, and additional quotes and background material, is available at http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=209544
"First flight represents the compilation of numerous tests to validate the airworthiness of the aircraft, and the robustness and reliability of the software that allows it to operate as an autonomous system and eventually have the ability to take-off and land aboard an aircraft carrier," said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, the Navy's UCAS-D program manager.
Northrop Grumman is the Navy's UCAS-D prime contractor and leader of the UCAS-D industry team.
"Designing a tailless, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft from a clean sheet is no small feat," said Janis Pamiljans, vice president and UCAS-D program manager for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "Commitment, collaboration and uncompromising technical excellence among the Navy, Northrop Grumman and the UCAS-D team industry partners made today's flight a reality. We are indeed honored to have given wings to the Navy's vision for exploring unmanned carrier aviation."
Taking off under hazy skies, the X-47B climbed to an altitude of 5,000 feet, flew several racetrack-type patterns, and landed safely at 2:38 p.m. PST. The flight provided test data to verify and validate system software for guidance and navigation, and the aerodynamic control of the tailless design.
As with all test programs, first flight represents the culmination, verification and certification of pre-flight system data collected and analyzed by both the Navy and Northrop Grumman. Airframe proof load tests, propulsion system accelerated mission tests, software maturity and reliability simulations, full system taxi tests, and numerous other system test activities were all completed and certified prior to first flight.
The aircraft will remain at Edwards AFB for flight envelope expansion before transitioning to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., later this year. There, the system will undergo additional tests to validate its readiness to begin testing in the maritime and carrier environment. The UCAS-D program is preparing the X-47B for carrier trials in 2013.
The Navy awarded the UCAS-D prime contract to Northrop Grumman in August 2007. The six-year contract calls for the development of two X-47B fighter-sized aircraft. The program will demonstrate the first-ever carrier launches and recoveries by an autonomous, unmanned aircraft with a low-observable-relevant planform. Autonomous aerial refueling will also be performed after carrier integration and at-sea trials.
Northrop Grumman's industry team includes GKN Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, Eaton, GE, Hamilton Sundstrand, Dell, Honeywell, Goodrich, Moog, Wind River, Parker Aerospace and Rockwell Collins.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT: Brooks McKinney, APR
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
(310) 331-6610 office
(310) 864-3785 mobile
brooks.mckinney@ngc.com
Cyndi Wegerbauer
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
(858) 618-5323 office
(858) 705-3280 mobile
cyndi.wegerbauer@ngc.com
And this, also related, also from Northrop Grumman:
Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman, U.S. Navy Complete Second, Third Flights of X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System
Flights Begin Expansion of Tests to Prove Aircraft's Performance, Handling Characteristics
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., March 17, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Less than a month after completing the first flight of the U.S. Navy's X-47B UCAS-Demonstration aircraft, flight test engineers from Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the Navy have successfully completed the aircraft's second and third flights.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=8893
The flights, both conducted at Edwards Air Force Base, mark the beginning of a process called envelope expansion during which the test team will begin proving that the tailless aircraft can perform safely over a broad range of altitudes, air speeds and operating weights.
During the X-47B's 39-minute second flight on March 1, the aircraft flew to an altitude of 7,500 feet at speeds up to 200 knots. During its 41-minute third flight on March 4, the aircraft reached an altitude of 7,500 feet and a top speed of 180 knots. By comparison, the X-47B flew only to 5,000 feet at a top speed of 180 knots during its first flight Feb 4.
"Conducting two flights of a brand new type of aircraft within one week, and both within a month of first flight speaks not only to the robust design of the X-47B aircraft, but also to the dedication and engineering skills of the joint UCAS-D flight test team," said Janis Pamiljans, vice president for the Navy UCAS program for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "These flights continue to add momentum to the team's march toward demonstrating in 2013 that we can safely operate this tailless, low-observable-relevant air system on a Navy aircraft carrier."
According to Phil Saunders, chief engineer for Northrop Grumman's Navy UCAS program, envelope expansion is designed to fully characterize the aircraft's flying qualities and prove that they match the system's performance requirements and the test team's predictions.
"Over the next few flights, we'll continue to expand the envelope in terms of air speed, altitude and operating weight range," he said. "By gradually ramping up the complexity of requirements, we will systematically prove that this air system can safely take off, fly and land in all anticipated flight environments."
Northrop Grumman and the Navy expect to complete the planned 49-flight envelope expansion program at Edwards Air Force Base before moving the first X-47B to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., later this year, he added.
One of the most important measures of performance, Saunders explains, is aircraft stability. The X-47B, which relies on high-speed computers to manage its flight control surfaces, must be able to adjust quickly and automatically to unpredictable environmental conditions such as air turbulence or cross winds. The recent test flights included a series of maneuvers designed to measure the aircraft's ability to maintain a smooth, level flying state in the presence of such conditions.
The flight tests also confirmed that the X-47B's flush mounted air data system – a nod to its low-observable-relevant design – is accurately sensing and communicating the aircraft's air speed, a critical factor in takeoff and landing.
In addition, the flight tests gave the team the opportunity to validate the aircraft's engine performance; its command and control system, and its ability to fly at a constant angle of attack and a constant rate of descent while on final approach to landing, simulating what it will have to do to make successful landing on an aircraft carrier.
The Navy awarded the UCAS-D prime contract to Northrop Grumman in August 2007. The six-year contract calls for the development of two X-47B fighter-sized aircraft. The program will demonstrate the first-ever carrier launches and recoveries by a tailless, unmanned aircraft. Autonomous aerial refueling will also be performed after carrier integration and at-sea trials.
Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D industry team includes GKN Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, Eaton, GE, Hamilton Sundstrand, Dell, Honeywell, Goodrich, Moog, Wind River, Parker Aerospace and Rockwell Collins.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT: Brooks McKinney, APR
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
(310) 331-6610 office
(310) 864-3785 mobile
brooks.mckinney@ngc.com
NAVAIR Public Affairs
Douglas Abbotts
(301) 757-8690 office
Douglas.abbotts@navy.mil
Via Terry
By GI Korea on May 17th, 2011 at 3:12 am
US To Develop Drone Based Carriers To Counter Chinese Missiles
» by GI Korea in: U.S. Navy
It looks like we could be seeing a drone only carrier in the near future to overcome China’s anti-carrier missile advantage:
» by GI Korea in: U.S. Navy
It looks like we could be seeing a drone only carrier in the near future to overcome China’s anti-carrier missile advantage:
The U.S. is developing aircraft carrier-based drones that could provide a crucial edge as it tries to counter China’s military rise.
American officials have been tightlipped about where the unmanned armed planes might be used, but a top Navy officer has told The Associated Press that some would likely be deployed in Asia.
“They will play an integral role in our future operations in this region,” predicted Vice Adm. Scott Van Buskirk, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, which covers most of the Pacific and Indian oceans. [Associated Press]
This concept has actually been discussed for a few years now and Tom Ricks has even recommended calling any drone based carrier the USS Obama.
Source and comments at:
http://rokdrop.com/2011/05/17/us-to-develop-drone-based-carriers-to-counter-chinese-missiles/comment-page-1/#comment-418258
And this, related, from http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/x-47.html
Northrop Grumman X-47 Pegasus
In June 2000, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded the first study contracts for a carrier-based unmanned combat aircraft - labeled UCAV-N (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle - Naval) - to Northrop Grumman and Boeing. At that time, Northrop Grumman was already privately developing its Pegasus UCAV demonstrator, which was completed in July 2001. In June, it had received the official military designation X-47A (Boeing's UCAV-N was designated as X-46A). The X-47A was extensively tested on the ground during 2001 and 2002 (including taxiing), and the first flight finally occurred on 23 February 2003.
X-47A
The X-47A was a stealth design with no vertical control surfaces, yaw control being achieved by differential movements of surfaces in the wings. The all-composite airframe was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney JT15D turbofan. The vehicle's computer-based control system performed flight control, navigation, mission control and other tasks. The Pegasus was equipped with a U.S. Navy Shipboard Relative GPS navigation system, which would have been necessary for automatic pin-point landings on a moving aircraft carrier deck. On its first flight, the X-47A tested that system by making an exact landing on a pre-designated spot on the runway.
X-47A
As it turned out, the first flight of the X-47A remained the only one so far. In April 2003, DARPA combined the UCAV-N program with the on-going USAF/DARPA UCAV program into the joint DARPA/USAF/Navy J-UCAV program, later renamed J-UCAS (Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems). Northrop Grumman apparently decided that further flight tests of the X-47A would not help the development of its forthcoming J-UCAS demonstrator, designated X-47B.
The airframe of the X-47B has not much in common with that of the X-47A. It is significantly larger, has a more powerful P&W F100 turbofan engine, and redesigned outer wing sections and intake/exhaust configurations. The wing extensions provide for longer range and better low-speed characteristics, and are foldable to reduce parking space on the aircraft carrier. The payload capacity for J-UCAS was to be 2040 kg (4500 lb), representing two GBU-31/B JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) GPS/INS-guided bombs. Northrop Grumman was under contract to build two (originally three) X-47Bs, and flight testing, together with the rival Boeing X-45C, was expected to begin in 2007.
X-47B
The J-UCAS development effort was defined in terms of "spirals". The X-45A UCAV demonstrator was "Spiral 0", while the X-45C and X-47B represented "Spiral 1". Later spirals were to further enhance the mission capabilities of the system by integrating more sensor and weapon options. The ultimate goal had been labeled J-UOS (J-UCAS Objective System) by DARPA.
In early January 2006, the J-UCAS program was cancelled in favor of separate follow-on programs by the USAF and U.S. Navy, and - in case of the Air Force - the development of new manned long-range bomber aircraft. The Navy has since effectively taken over the J-UCAS program under a new label (first N-UCAS, then UCAS-D (Demonstrator)), and parallel development of the X-47B and X-45C vehicles as carrier-based UCAVs continued until mid-2007. In August 2007, the Navy announced the X-47B as the winner of the UCAS-D competition. Primary goal of the six-year X-47B development and evaluation program is the demonstration of launches and recoveries on an aircraft carrier at sea. The completed X-47B was officially unveiled in December 2008, and the first flight of the vehicle is scheduled for late 2009.
Specifications
Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!
Data for X-47A/B:
X-47A X-47B
Length 8.50 m (27.9 ft) 11.6 m (38.2 ft)
Wingspan 8.47 m (27.8 ft) 18.9 m (62.1 ft)
Weight (gross) 2500 kg (5500 lb) 19000 kg (42000 lb)
Speed Subsonic High subsonic
Ceiling ? > 12200 m (40000 ft)
Range ? 6500 km (3500 nm)
Propulsion Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5C turbofan; 14.2 kN (3190 lb) Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220U turbofan; 71.2 kN (16000 lb)
Main Sources
[1] DARPA J-UCAS Website
[2] Air Force Technology Website
Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4
And this, related, from Northrop Grumman:
X-47B UCAS
Program Overview:
The X-47B is a tailless, strike fighter-sized unmanned system currently under development by Northrop Grumman as part of the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. Under a contract awarded in 2007, the company has designed, developed and is currently producing two X-47B aircraft. In the 2013 timeframe, these aircraft will be used to demonstrate the first carrier-based launches and recoveries by an autonomous, low-observable relevant unmanned aircraft. The UCAS-D program will also be used to mature relevant carrier landing and integration technologies, and to demonstrate autonomous aerial refueling by the X-47B aircraft.Foundation for the Future:
UCAS-D is designed to help the U.S. Navy explore the future of unmanned carrier aviation. A successful UCAS-D flight test program, including a series of successful carrier-based launches and recoveries, will help set the stage for the development of a more permanent, carrier-based fleet of unmanned aircraft.
And this, related, also from Northrop Grumman:
Northrop Grumman-built U.S. Navy X-47B Unmanned Combat Aircraft Completes Historic First Flight
First-of-its-Kind, Tailless Aircraft Moves Closer to Carrier Trials in 2013
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Feb. 4, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC)-built U.S. Navy X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) aircraft successfully completed its historic first flight at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), Calif.
Conducted by a U.S. Navy/Northrop Grumman test team, the flight took off at 2:09 p.m. PST and lasted 29 minutes. This event marks a critical step in the program, moving the team forward to meet the demonstration objectives of a tailless fighter-sized unmanned aircraft to safely take off from and land on the deck of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.
A social media version of this release that includes photos, video clips, and additional quotes and background material, is available at http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=209544
"First flight represents the compilation of numerous tests to validate the airworthiness of the aircraft, and the robustness and reliability of the software that allows it to operate as an autonomous system and eventually have the ability to take-off and land aboard an aircraft carrier," said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, the Navy's UCAS-D program manager.
Northrop Grumman is the Navy's UCAS-D prime contractor and leader of the UCAS-D industry team.
"Designing a tailless, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft from a clean sheet is no small feat," said Janis Pamiljans, vice president and UCAS-D program manager for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "Commitment, collaboration and uncompromising technical excellence among the Navy, Northrop Grumman and the UCAS-D team industry partners made today's flight a reality. We are indeed honored to have given wings to the Navy's vision for exploring unmanned carrier aviation."
Taking off under hazy skies, the X-47B climbed to an altitude of 5,000 feet, flew several racetrack-type patterns, and landed safely at 2:38 p.m. PST. The flight provided test data to verify and validate system software for guidance and navigation, and the aerodynamic control of the tailless design.
As with all test programs, first flight represents the culmination, verification and certification of pre-flight system data collected and analyzed by both the Navy and Northrop Grumman. Airframe proof load tests, propulsion system accelerated mission tests, software maturity and reliability simulations, full system taxi tests, and numerous other system test activities were all completed and certified prior to first flight.
The aircraft will remain at Edwards AFB for flight envelope expansion before transitioning to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., later this year. There, the system will undergo additional tests to validate its readiness to begin testing in the maritime and carrier environment. The UCAS-D program is preparing the X-47B for carrier trials in 2013.
The Navy awarded the UCAS-D prime contract to Northrop Grumman in August 2007. The six-year contract calls for the development of two X-47B fighter-sized aircraft. The program will demonstrate the first-ever carrier launches and recoveries by an autonomous, unmanned aircraft with a low-observable-relevant planform. Autonomous aerial refueling will also be performed after carrier integration and at-sea trials.
Northrop Grumman's industry team includes GKN Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, Eaton, GE, Hamilton Sundstrand, Dell, Honeywell, Goodrich, Moog, Wind River, Parker Aerospace and Rockwell Collins.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT: Brooks McKinney, APR
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
(310) 331-6610 office
(310) 864-3785 mobile
brooks.mckinney@ngc.com
Cyndi Wegerbauer
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
(858) 618-5323 office
(858) 705-3280 mobile
cyndi.wegerbauer@ngc.com
And this, also related, also from Northrop Grumman:
Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman, U.S. Navy Complete Second, Third Flights of X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System
Flights Begin Expansion of Tests to Prove Aircraft's Performance, Handling Characteristics
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., March 17, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Less than a month after completing the first flight of the U.S. Navy's X-47B UCAS-Demonstration aircraft, flight test engineers from Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the Navy have successfully completed the aircraft's second and third flights.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=8893
The flights, both conducted at Edwards Air Force Base, mark the beginning of a process called envelope expansion during which the test team will begin proving that the tailless aircraft can perform safely over a broad range of altitudes, air speeds and operating weights.
During the X-47B's 39-minute second flight on March 1, the aircraft flew to an altitude of 7,500 feet at speeds up to 200 knots. During its 41-minute third flight on March 4, the aircraft reached an altitude of 7,500 feet and a top speed of 180 knots. By comparison, the X-47B flew only to 5,000 feet at a top speed of 180 knots during its first flight Feb 4.
"Conducting two flights of a brand new type of aircraft within one week, and both within a month of first flight speaks not only to the robust design of the X-47B aircraft, but also to the dedication and engineering skills of the joint UCAS-D flight test team," said Janis Pamiljans, vice president for the Navy UCAS program for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "These flights continue to add momentum to the team's march toward demonstrating in 2013 that we can safely operate this tailless, low-observable-relevant air system on a Navy aircraft carrier."
According to Phil Saunders, chief engineer for Northrop Grumman's Navy UCAS program, envelope expansion is designed to fully characterize the aircraft's flying qualities and prove that they match the system's performance requirements and the test team's predictions.
"Over the next few flights, we'll continue to expand the envelope in terms of air speed, altitude and operating weight range," he said. "By gradually ramping up the complexity of requirements, we will systematically prove that this air system can safely take off, fly and land in all anticipated flight environments."
Northrop Grumman and the Navy expect to complete the planned 49-flight envelope expansion program at Edwards Air Force Base before moving the first X-47B to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., later this year, he added.
One of the most important measures of performance, Saunders explains, is aircraft stability. The X-47B, which relies on high-speed computers to manage its flight control surfaces, must be able to adjust quickly and automatically to unpredictable environmental conditions such as air turbulence or cross winds. The recent test flights included a series of maneuvers designed to measure the aircraft's ability to maintain a smooth, level flying state in the presence of such conditions.
The flight tests also confirmed that the X-47B's flush mounted air data system – a nod to its low-observable-relevant design – is accurately sensing and communicating the aircraft's air speed, a critical factor in takeoff and landing.
In addition, the flight tests gave the team the opportunity to validate the aircraft's engine performance; its command and control system, and its ability to fly at a constant angle of attack and a constant rate of descent while on final approach to landing, simulating what it will have to do to make successful landing on an aircraft carrier.
The Navy awarded the UCAS-D prime contract to Northrop Grumman in August 2007. The six-year contract calls for the development of two X-47B fighter-sized aircraft. The program will demonstrate the first-ever carrier launches and recoveries by a tailless, unmanned aircraft. Autonomous aerial refueling will also be performed after carrier integration and at-sea trials.
Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D industry team includes GKN Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, Eaton, GE, Hamilton Sundstrand, Dell, Honeywell, Goodrich, Moog, Wind River, Parker Aerospace and Rockwell Collins.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT: Brooks McKinney, APR
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
(310) 331-6610 office
(310) 864-3785 mobile
brooks.mckinney@ngc.com
NAVAIR Public Affairs
Douglas Abbotts
(301) 757-8690 office
Douglas.abbotts@navy.mil
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