EADS Barracuda is back!

[Matej]

Did you know about??

EADS is back in the air with the Barracuda unmanned aircraft after the first model crashed and was destroyed in 2006. The effort to build a new Barracuda was formally launched last year.

The Barracuda was reborn to help EADS work out various unmanned aircraft technologies under the so called Agile UAV program -- it is funded in part by the BWB, the German defense ministry's procurement agency.

The first flight of the new Barracuda took place in Goose Bay, Canada. Although the vehicle looks the same as the one that had its first flight in April 2006 (the crash occurred in September the same year), inside it is much different, according to program officials, with a more sophisticated electronics architecture.

The initial trials involved four flights. The vehicle flew autonomously, with ground monitoring.

EADS has been keen to brandish its UAV credentials as it tries to convince European governments -- France, Spain and Germany -- to put it in charge of a future medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aircraft program. “The successful flights by our unmanned aerial system – the largest ever yet built in Europe – underscore our competence in developing and offering market-driven solutions to meet the multifaceted requirements of our customers in one of the world’s most promising future markets in our sector,” says Stefan Zoller, the head of EADS Defense & Security.

Barracuda isn't actually a product, in the sense that it will not be put up for sale. In fact, the Advanced UAV EADS has been marketing looks quite different.

Ares
EADS

The new machine is marked 99+81 while the original was 99+80.

 

[flateric]

well, I thought you knew about...

 

[Matej]

No I didn't. Now I am filling the gaps in my UAV knowledge and I found a lot of surprises (for me) such as the Barracuda reborn or Alenia BlackLynx program.

 

[Matej]

I recollect the information that the building of the third example of the Barracuda is under way, but I cant find any reference. Does anybody know something about?

 

[Matej]

Nice photos of Barracuda under manufacturing.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/211833/thread/1240307251/Germany,+France+and+Spain+to+order+39+advanced+UAV%27s+this+spring

 

[Matej]

Another two from http://www.premium-aerotec.com/en/Manufacturing_2.html

Low-res version attached, high res here:
http://www.premium-aerotec.com/Binaries/Binary4094/_DSC5754.jpg
http://www.premium-aerotec.com/Binaries/Binary4090/_DSC5718.jpg

 

[Matej]

Alternative split air intakes and original thrust vectoring exhaust with butterfly tail (EADS material).

 

[Matej]

I recollect the information that the building of the third example of the Barracuda is under way, but I cant find any reference. Does anybody know something about?

Now its here. A bit unnoticed, but 99+82 is ready to fly.

http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-defense-perspective/2012-09-21/eads-forges-ahead-barracuda-ucav-trials

 

[Jemiba]

Perfectly timed for the recently made demand for armed UAVs
for the German armed forces !
Honi soit qui mal y pense !

 

[Reaper]

It has never been away!

 

[Maro.Kyo]

https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/stories/2023-05-the-father-of-them-all-how-the-barracuda-drones-legacy-flies-on

The design really was quite forward looking if we consider all the newer MUM-T wingman type drones from recent times... I can't tell for the others, but at the time I had this wrong impression that EADS Germany was taking the wrong route when everyone else were going flying wing.

 

[Maro.Kyo]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnDeKubmdio&ab_channel=AirbusDefenceandSpace

 

[Reaper]

Kratos seems to have more success with this configuration:

Kratos to Supply XQ-58A Valkyrie Stealth Drones to US Navy

The US Navy has awarded a $15.5-million contract to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for two XQ-58A Valkyrie drones.

www.thedefensepost.com

 

[red admiral]

The design really was quite forward looking if we consider all the newer MUM-T wingman type drones from recent times... I can't tell for the others, but at the time I had this wrong impression that EADS Germany was taking the wrong route when everyone else were going flying wing.

Its a pretty rose tinted view from Airbus. If all they were doing was pulling across the underpinning tech around Autonomy etc. then Taranis/Neuron also did this, and the MALE UAS programmes; but then BAES/Dassault learned a lot more about signature control as well.

Now the flying wing / conventional configuration choice seems to be more around cost; but we'll have to see how it turns out as there are no actual acquistion programmes yet. Its not as if Barracuda has led directly to a follow on project, so mostly what's happened is that Airbus has less learning for a flying wing configuration at this scale; the Sagitta demo they flew is very much in large model aircraft territory so there's limited learning you can get from it.

Leonardo also did their Sky-X similar to Barracuda back in the 2000s, but cheaper

 

[martinbayer]

Apropos of Barracuda and theatrical drama, this came to mind:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obDk115TkTg