Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAS-D

[turboshaft]

Tow taxi images, c/o Av Week.

 

[Steve Pace]

Also - Phantom Ray was the unofficial name Boeing used for its X-45C UCAS entry.

 

[tacitblue]

Ok, this sounds completely dumb, but its too bad there isn't a cockpit in it. This would be a really "neat" airplane if there was room enough for a pilot/mission_specialist. I am just not a believer that we can for 100% completely block out the bad guys abilities to hack into the remote control system of our unmanned fleet. Look at the issue with the Predators in Iraq. We're talking about IRAQ of all places... What can a sophisticated foe such as (hypothetically) China or Russia do?

My fear is we're wasting billions on something that only be used against unsophisticated threats such as terrorists. Seriously, add in a little F-5 sized cockpit and lets keep from giving away the game to hackable RF energies. In comparison to the total unit cost of these drones, the addition of an ejection seat, O2 (for the occasional sortie above 10k), and removing the remote-control-system and adding a off-the-shelf system from the JSF or whatever, it wouldn't add that much to the per-airframe-cost. Ok, maybe flight testing would be longer and costlier... But does anyone have faith in an enemy not being able to take advantage of these things being remote controlled?

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

This is an old argument we have had many times before and applies to all UAV/UCAVs. Its off-topic for a discussion on the X-47B.

See http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2353.0 for example...

 

[Ian33]

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/6817/x47b1big.jpg

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/378/x47b2big.jpg

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/7162/x47b3big.jpg


The tow / taxi test of the X-47B in large format. My other request is to see if any one possesses the large format version of this picture from the X-47B rollout ceremony.

 

[flateric]

Photos at unveiling event were made by Northrop's photographer Jeff Swann
try to contact
Kimberly Prato
Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems
(858) 618-4405
kimberly.prato@ngc.com

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Here's a fact sheet:
http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/assets/UCAS-D_DataSheet_final.pdf

 

[Ian33]

Thanks for that Moonbat - I just love the X-47B and just wish they would share some of their low / medium speed taxi (under self power) test pictures with us mere mortals.

 

[Ian33]

Northrop Grumman release

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

No problem and thanks for the pic. It'll make nice wallpaper.

 

[sferrin]

Is there a higher resolution version? Gorgeous picture.

 

[flateric]

Photo by Alan Radecki

 

[Ian33]

My apologiuse Flat Eric - I didn't know the photographers name hence I aportioned it to Northrop Grumman. I have emailed NG in the hope 9however slim) of aquiring a larger version.

 

[flateric]

You got me wrong. I just wanted to mention that these stunning series (yes, I've seen a second in series of UCAS-D photographed on Palmdale tarmac in recent AvLeak) was made by Alan Radecki, a NG photographer, and a friend to Stargazer2006, but I'm sure that Northrop Grumman owns copyright for these photos , so it's not polite to ask him, and you have gone the right way.
Hope it will end with success...AFAIR, they have removed several hi-rez roll-out photos soon after they have appeared at their media site on a reason...

 

[flateric]

X-47B with external fuel tank(s)

 

[Steve Pace]

X-47B with external fuel tank(s)

Tank(s) would have to be attached after it was airborne - its landing gear legs aren't long enough for tank(s) to be attached on the ground...

 

[flateric]

So far I know that it comes from original NG presentation

 

[Ian33]

The fuel tanks are internal - replacing the weapons bay carry capability in order to keep the LO properties intact. I will of course find the article this came from as it was very informative.

 

[fightingirish]

X-47B with external fuel tank(s)

UCAV & "UKAV"!
One of first non-combat missions for USN UCAV is to refuel aircraft in the airspace near a CVN.
I have seen a picture before, where a USN UCAV has 2 pods under the fuselage/wing. One of them was a refueling pod. The other was normal tank.
Folks, do you remember the PBS series "Carrier", where in one episode the experienced CO of VFA-41 takes over the last tanker flight from a young female pilot? Night, bad weather, pitching deck, exhausted pilots, bolters, bolters, bolters...
Just think, that a "UKAV" will do that mission in near future.
Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTVj_ZSwxGE

 

[Creative]

X-47B with external fuel tank(s)

UCAV & "UKAV"!
One of first non-combat missions for USN UCAV is to refuel aircraft in the airspace near a CVN.
I have seen a picture before, where a USN UCAV has 2 pods under the fuselage/wing. One of them was a refueling pod. The other was normal tank.
Folks, do you remember the PBS series "Carrier", where in one episode the experienced CO of VFA-41 takes over the last tanker flight from a young female pilot? Night, bad weather, pitching deck, exhausted pilots, bolters, bolters, bolters...
Just think, that a "UKAV" will do that mission in near future.
Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTVj_ZSwxGE

That was the best part of that series IMO. Absolutely nail biting!

 

[Ian33]

The fuel tanks are internal - replacing the weapons bay carry capability in order to keep the LO properties intact. I will of course find the article this came from as it was very informative.

I knew I didn't dream it.

Although not required for the baseline UCAS-D programme, the demonstrators will be equipped for air-to-air refuelling, and have space and weight provisions for sensors and weapons. Northrop hopes this additional capability will be tapped as the demonstration progresses.

The demonstrator has bays for sensors and weapons, each of the latter sized to carry a 900kg (2,000lb) Joint Direct Attack Munition or six 150kg Small Diameter Bombs. That would give an operational N-UCAS, with its 12-14h unrefuelled endurance, the capability to attack 12 different targets on a single mission, says Beard.

The weapons bays could accommodate electronic attack, electronic intelligence or signals intelligence payloads, he says. Alternatively, each could house a 2,270litre (600USgal) fuel tank, allowing the N-UCAS to be used as a carrier-based aerial refuelling platform. "That gets the F-18 guys interested," says Beard, as the tanking mission is currently performed by F/A-18E/Fs equipped with buddy refuelling pods.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/01/25/221131/unmanned-aboard-northrop-grumman-aims-to-prove-ucas-can-operate-from-carriers.html

 

[Ian33]

I know the airframes near flight test ready, but I thought people might like these for historical reference.

 

[Steve Pace]

Can you send high res copies of these photos to me? stevepace43@gmail.com Thank you!

 

[flateric]

http://www.gknaerospace.com/newsarticle.aspx?page=S633715876007482500&ArchiveID=5&CategoryID=50&ItemID=341&src=

 

[sferrin]

Is that a 2nd spot for construction there to the aircraft's right?

 

[Sundog]

Is that a 2nd spot for construction there to the aircraft's right?

It definitely appears to be.

 

[Ian33]

Sweet!!!!!

Northrop publicity people have published new pictures and they are awesome.

http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/gallery.html

Haven't linked them as I downloaded one and it was 2.2 megs!

 

[sublight]

If I was driving down that street and saw the UCAS parked there, I would have wrecked the car....

( I am referring to the parking lot shot)

 

[fightingirish]

Sweet!!!!!
Northrop publicity people have published new pictures and they are awesome.
http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/gallery.html
Haven't linked them as I downloaded one and it was 2.2 megs!

I didn't download the video "First Low Speed Taxi - 1.17.10" (76,3 MB) so far, but I presume I might be this one uploaded at YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUDDvbK0wuY

 

[Stargazer]

Sweet!!!!!

Northrop publicity people have published new pictures and they are awesome.

http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/gallery.html

Haven't linked them as I downloaded one and it was 2.2 megs!

The link doesn't work for me. I suspect it's the kind of link that works only for registered press people. Am I right?

 

[Ian33]

Yes the video is the same one that has been uploaded to Youtube. Stargazer, link is a public download.

 

[sferrin]

When they fire up the engine in that 76 Mb vid. . . sweet!

 

[Orionblamblam]

Sweet!!!!!

Northrop publicity people have published new pictures and they are awesome.

http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/gallery.html

Haven't linked them as I downloaded one and it was 2.2 megs!

The link doesn't work for me. I suspect it's the kind of link that works only for registered press people. Am I right?

Worked just fine for me.

 

[Stargazer]

It does work now for me. Wouldn't be the first time I've ended up on a site that was temporarily unavailable (say, for 5 minutes) while everyone connected to it successfully. Murphy's law, as they call it...

 

[BDF]

Wonderful video. I can’t help being giddy as a kid on Christmas day every time I see progress on this program. I really hope this program blossoms into a viable production system. The implication for the Air/Sea battle and carrier warfare in general is tremendous.

 

[sferrin]

Anybody know the latest on when the first flight might be?

 

[Ian33]

Beautiful. I finally found a higher resolution picture of the head on NUCAS sat on the runway at night.

 

[Stargazer]

Can't remember if this picture has been shared here before... I don't remember so. It was taken by my friend Alan Radecki, who now works as an official inhouse photographer for Northrop Grumman.

 

[BDF]

Anybody know the latest on when the first flight might be?

Only thing that I've found is 1st Q 2010. However since that's not going to happen I looked for more and I found this from Alert 5:

New X-47B manager wants to bring testing back on schedule
A new program manager for the U.S. Navy's X-47B says he is keen to get the development effort back on schedule.

"I know we're off schedule," he continued. "I cannot tell you how far off. We've said we're going to fly later this year. My goal is to tell you precisely when we will fly later this year."

http://www.alert5.com/2010/03/new-x-47b-manager-wants-to-bring.html

Best I could find.

 

[flateric]

The fuel tanks are internal - replacing the weapons bay carry capability in order to keep the LO properties intact. I will of course find the article this came from as it was very informative.