General Atomics’ Aeronautical Systems division, or GS-ASI, has released a new rendering of its stealthy, next-generation unmanned aircraft system. The GA-ASI released a new rendering of the new intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike unmanned air vehicle (UAV)’s design on...
"Our robust digital engineering and advanced manufacturing practices deliver affordable dominant weapon systems to the #warfighter with the speed and lethality required to maintain overmatch."
*Rolling eyes* It sounds like something an AI software would generate trying to make the shortest grammatically correct sentence that uses ALL the buzzwords. Why does everyone in the industry feel the need to write this way? And then the buzzwords are on rotation, like fads.
"Our robust digital engineering and advanced manufacturing practices deliver affordable dominant weapon systems to the #warfighter with the speed and lethality required to maintain overmatch."
*Rolling eyes* It sounds like something an AI software would generate trying to make the shortest grammatically correct sentence that uses ALL the buzzwords. Why does everyone in the industry feel the need to write this way? And then the buzzwords are on rotation, like fads.
I have 1980s video tapes, one called Guided Missiles, IIRC that uses pretty much the exact language describing weapon systems. The more thing change the more they stay the same.
An illustrative concept of a future unmanned aircraft that might field capabilities of the type that the USAF is now seeking for its Next-Generation Multirole Unmanned Aircraft System Family of Systems requirement. (Lockheed Martin)
The US Air Force (USAF) has issued a request for information (RFI) for its Next-Generation Multirole Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Family of Systems (FoS) requirement.
The time frame is suspiciously close to the B-21 IOC. Given the secondary emphasis on more endurance and survivability, I wonder if they don't envision B-21's with A2A drone escorts operating well outside the range of tac air. This would make a lot of sense in the Pacific Theater where distances are vast and local bases are few compared to the Chinese mainland.
The time frame is suspiciously close to the B-21 IOC. Given the secondary emphasis on more endurance and survivability, I wonder if they don't envision B-21's with A2A drone escorts operating well outside the range of tac air. This would make a lot of sense in the Pacific Theater where distances are vast and local bases are few compared to the Chinese mainland.
"Our robust digital engineering and advanced manufacturing practices deliver affordable dominant weapon systems to the #warfighter with the speed and lethality required to maintain overmatch."
*Rolling eyes* It sounds like something an AI software would generate trying to make the shortest grammatically correct sentence that uses ALL the buzzwords. Why does everyone in the industry feel the need to write this way? And then the buzzwords are on rotation, like fads.
The time frame is suspiciously close to the B-21 IOC. Given the secondary emphasis on more endurance and survivability, I wonder if they don't envision B-21's with A2A drone escorts operating well outside the range of tac air. This would make a lot of sense in the Pacific Theater where distances are vast and local bases are few compared to the Chinese mainland.
Hey. There was a much higher quality of this GA-ASI Ad i once saw and thought was lost forever, but fortunately i managed to find this tweet with... a different view of the MQ-Next. At first sight, despite the blurriness, the chine and leading edge seem to slightly angle back, similar to the NG Sensorcraft. Compared side to side, these two are clearly not the same render:
We talk to Northrop Grumman Vice President Richard Sullivan about what his company has potentially in store for the Air Force's MQ-Next tender.
www.thedrive.com
In the 2000s, semi-autonomous unmanned air combat vehicle (UCAV) technology was proving to be the greatest revolution in air combat since the jet engine, then it disappeared totally from the Air Force plans and nomenclature. It was as if the idea of stealthy, long-range drones simply never existed. Now, as the U.S. faces growing threats from peer state competitors with highly capable integrated air defense systems, environments in which the Air Force's current fleet of MQ-9 Reaper drones cannot survive, the UCAV has suddenly become the next big item on the Air Force's shopping list.
Dubbed the MQ-Next, the exact requirements for the Air Force's next-generation combat drone initiative remain undefined, but the service has reached out to its industry partners to see what they have to offer. Northrop Grumman, a company known for its low-observable (stealth) design capabilities and its bright history with advanced unmanned systems—namely the X-47 demonstrators and the RQ-4 Global Hawk—has thrown their hat in the ring for what will be an emerging highly-lucrative tender in the coming years.
With that in mind, Richard Sullivan, a Vice President of Program Management at Northrop Grumman, talked in-depth with The War Zone not just about their own potential drone offerings under the MQ-Next initiative, but also about their shadowy Distributed Autonomy Responsive Control (DARC) advanced mission management system that aims to control not just the MQ-Next vehicles, but what will be a family of interconnected unmanned systems that will rule the skies in the not so distant future.
What Sullivan describes in our discussion is exactly what the author posited half a decade ago, down to the platform-agnostic command and control software that will control future autonomous swarms and the other assets that will enable them. You can read all about that, as well as a deep examination of the mysterious disappearance of the UCAV from the Air Force's portfolio around 2010 and the massive implications of that reality in this past War Zone feature. In fact, to understand the potential UCAVs offer and what MQ-Next truly represents, it really is a must-read.
There's no room for serpentine inlets in the concept shown. If you ask me, it's useless to have a planform aligned configuration but radars can see your fan face.
There's no room for serpentine inlets in the concept shown. If you ask me, it's useless to have a planform aligned configuration but radars can see your fan face.
The original design made more sense. When the first image with the revised inlets and exhausts was posted I assumed this was an attempt to hide the "real" inlet design. Now that they've posted a video, etc. I can only assume the new inlet is the real design. That would have some severe penalties in drag and RCS
“We believe that GA is going to pioneer a completely new way to propel airborne air breathing [vehicles]," said Mike Atwood, the firm’s senior director of advanced programs.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
www.thedrive.com
www.janes.com
aviationweek.com
![307837138_1494709450977913_4092496813820536114_n.mp4_snapshot_00.51_[2022.09.19_20.12.48].jpg](/data/attachments/219/219929-a8142bcd84432032212104dc3d5138ac.jpg)
![307837138_1494709450977913_4092496813820536114_n.mp4_snapshot_00.50_[2022.09.19_20.12.39].jpg](/data/attachments/219/219930-a3b41149762e5c241fed91bfb338a05d.jpg)
![307837138_1494709450977913_4092496813820536114_n.mp4_snapshot_00.46_[2022.09.19_20.12.23].jpg](/data/attachments/219/219931-7f8b830b88c203736320abdeb8c0ea05.jpg)
