US Navy’s UCLASS / CBARS / MQ-XX / MQ-25 Stingray Program

[TomS]

IMOHO we should not put aside so easily the little inlet in front to understand how the event on top acts as a valid inlet.

One of the AvWeek stories confirms that the small inlet is for avionics cooling.

 

[Dragon029]

Technically speaking they could use the accelerated exhaust from the avionics cooling flow to help create suction / laminar flow in the main intake (though personally I think the intake is big enough that it won't need such a system).

 

[fightingirish]

Video with interviews:
https://youtu.be/5oSSgVgu5oY

Navy Recognition's Day 1 video coverage at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space 2018 Exposition. In this video we are focusing on Naval Aviation:
» General Atomics MQ-25
» Lockheed Martin MQ-25
» Boeing MQ-25
» General Atomics EMALS milestone aboard CVN 78
» Raytheon integrating JSOW-C aboard F-35C

Notice, how the wings and the tail folds up on the General Atomics MQ-25 model.

https://youtu.be/5oSSgVgu5oY

Another video:

General Atomics’ Alexander on Unmanned Tanker Offering for US Navy MQ-25 Program
Dave Alexander, president of aviation systems at General Atomics, discusses the company’s offering for the US Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker aircraft competition during an April 11, 2018, interview with the Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League’s 2018 Sea-Air-Space Symposium outside of Washington. [...]
https://youtu.be/axoPosCg-WY

https://youtu.be/axoPosCg-WY

 

[flateric]

https://twitter.com/BoeingDefense/status/983417610845990912

 

[Hood]

Lockheed Martin has confirmed its MQ-25 design uses a GE F404 turbofan, also the undercarriage and some electronic systems from the F-35C.
So this puts the LM and Boeing submissions on similar thrust weightings with GA using the a power powerful 16,000lb P&W PW815. Perhaps this suggests the latter has higher gross and maximum weights (and thus more internal fuel tankage)?

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lockheeds-mq-25-reuses-usn-fighter-engines-landing-447457/

 

[sferrin]

https://twitter.com/BoeingDefense/status/983417610845990912

If that's to scale that looks a lot bigger than the one that's been in the recent pictures. ???

 

[flateric]

Are you sure?

 

[sferrin]

That's a rendering. I meant bigger than the real one they've been showing pictures of.

 

[TomS]

That's a rendering. I meant bigger than the real one they've been showing pictures of.

I think we just don't have anything that really scales the the physical prototype that well. The shots from Sea-Air-Space help -- they show th wing being around 6 feet off the ground, about the same as a Super Hornet. It's bigger than the older outdoor photos made it look.

 

[flateric]

Interesting all that hype about GA-ASI entry revealing as it actually was around since last October
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,16346.msg316229.html#msg316229

 

[marauder2048]

Lockheed Martin has confirmed its MQ-25 design uses a GE F404 turbofan, also the undercarriage and some electronic systems from the F-35C.
So this puts the LM and Boeing submissions on similar thrust weightings with GA using the a power powerful 16,000lb P&W PW815. Perhaps this suggests the latter has higher gross and maximum weights (and thus more internal fuel tankage)?

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lockheeds-mq-25-reuses-usn-fighter-engines-landing-447457/

40 kVA from the PW815 is nothing to sneeze at either; the AE3007 for Triton is like 25 - 30 kVA.

 

[VTOLicious]

https://twitter.com/BoeingDefense/status/983417610845990912

Guesstimation

 

[bring_it_on]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZgiawTrids

 

[seruriermarshal]

GA-ASI Avenger ER sets new flight record

11th April 2018

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA-ASI's) Avenger Extended Range (ER) UAS has set a new endurance record by flying for 23.4 consecutive hours, the company announced on 5 April.

The next-generation Avenger ER flew in a representative ISR configuration while carrying out a simulated reconnaissance mission. The flight time reflects a ten hour improvement over the baseline Predator C Avenger aircraft.

The Avenger ER features avionics based upon the Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper, has 3,000lbs payload bay and is capable of flying at over 400kt true air speed. The Avenger is designed to carry payloads such as the all-weather GA-ASI Lynx multi-mode radar and the MS-177 electro-optical/infrared sensor.

The Avenger platform is currently being used as a surrogate for GA-ASI’s proposed MQ-25 platform, including early ground and flight test of the deck handling system, mission specific hardware and software and all flight and mission data links and communications.

With an increased wingspan of 76ft, Avenger ER provides an improved long-loiter ISR and precision-strike capability, supporting a wide array of sensors and weapons payloads. Other improvements include an increase in the maximum gross takeoff weight to 19,500lbs using a co-cured composite centre wing and heavyweight landing gear as well as integration of a dual redundant, light weight brake control capability using a GA-ASI developed lightweight hybrid linear anti-lock brake system.

 

[TomcatViP]

General Atomics’ wands use proprietary gesture recognition algorithms to identify standard hand movements, as designated by Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures, and then translates and sends those commands to the MQ-25 air vehicle, the company said. The aircraft receives the commands and converts them into the appropriate actions.
“MQ-25 will be able to talk back to the controller and other flight deck personnel using a small series of LEDs that change colors and flash to show that they have received a command and indicate the aircraft’s condition or operating state,” said General Atomics’ David Alexander, president of GA-ASI’s aircraft systems. “A safety observer on deck can stop the aircraft instantly any time an unsafe situation is identified. To give you an idea of how the system works, think Wii for aircraft control.”

Source: FlightGlobal.com

 

[Flyaway]

Lockheed Martin capable of fielding MQ-25 prototype in one year

Lockheed Martin decided against building a MQ-25 prototype
It wanted to focus on the navy’s new requirements instead of older requirements

http://www.janes.com/article/79514/lockheed-martin-capable-of-fielding-mq-25-prototype-in-one-year

 

[VTOLicious]

Nice view

 

[sferrin]

The GA entry is starting to grow on me.

 

[Moose]

The GA entry is starting to grow on me.

Yeah I've been reevaluating since Sea Air Space presented more information on the bidders. Prior to the show, I had BA as being in a very good position with GA trying to catch up and LM going through the motions. Today I'd say that all 3 look pretty good for their own reasons.

 

[flateric]

Late Sea Ghost underbelly

 

[seruriermarshal]

General Atomics shows off engine that will power its proposed MQ-25 drone tanker

 

[Flyaway]

Skunk Works’ MQ-25 Performs Deck Handling Demo

Lockheed Martin simulated a deck-handling demonstration of its MQ-25 flying-wing design UAV in mid-May at its Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, for U.S. Navy officials. Lockheed, Boeing and General Atomics are competing to make a single-engine UAV that can refuel fighters from the carrier deck in the mid-2020s. The Navy is scheduled to award one of the three companies a fixed-price development contract in August for four aircraft, the first of which would fly by fiscal 2021. A ...

http://m.aviationweek.com/defense/skunk-works-mq-25-performs-deck-handling-demo

 

[fredymac]

Boeing clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7POLZNPdQBs

 

[Mike Pryce]

Model at Farnborough. From @RAeSTimR on Twitter

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/ga-asi-completes-string-of-tests-on-its-proposed-mq-450817/

 

[bobbymike]

Don't know where to put this but here it is

https://www.facebook.com/NATO/videos/1904319269591395/

 

[fightingirish]

The same video at YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ruSQa1PvC3E

Making aircraft less detectable
A team of NATO experts is developing new technology that will make military aircraft less detectable. Most forms of aircraft need actuators (vertical and horizontal flaps) to enable flight and control.
The technology being developed leaves these flaps redundant in certain phases of flight, replacing them with an active flow control system using air to help manoeuvre the aircraft.
The research into innovative control effectors, or ICE, is being carried out by a NATO task group under NATO’s Science and Technology Organization, which includes representatives from the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the US Air Force Academy in Colorado, the Illinois Institute of Technology and Lockheed Martin.
The first model of the ICE aircraft was made in 2015, measuring just 28 centimetres in wingspan. It has since undergone numerous rounds of testing in a wind tunnel at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado.

Source:

https://youtu.be/ruSQa1PvC3E

 

[TomcatViP]

Aaahhhhh.... ICE blowing dust in the vaccum to try altering the attitude... I wonder why this looks like familiar to me.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Don't think this has been posted - Lockheed MQ-25 model with F-35.

 

[TomS]

Seems smaller than the Boeing and GA offerings. Or maybe that's just an artifact of the flying wing configuration compared to the more conventional shapes of the other designs.

 

[litzj]

Don't think this has been posted - Lockheed MQ-25 model with F-35.

from inner to outter, airbreak, flap, aileron, rudder, spoiler?

 

[Rhinocrates]

IIRC, it is indeed smaller - the flying wing allowed greater efficiency, meaning that it would end up with a greater portion of fuel available once it was on station, meaning that it could be small and lighter overall with a less powerful and thirsty engine.

 

[TomcatViP]

notice also the wider chord, resulting in less induced drag hence less turbulences for the aircraft in trail (the very one reason why the A-400 struggles to be a good air tanker). This is one of the strong point of the LM design.

 

[totoro]

https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1617374/

So apparently Boeing has won the contract...

 

[litzj]

https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1617374/

So apparently Boeing has won the contract...

Wow, preety fast decision compared to other delayed delayed business.

Is it affect decision of T-X or too small to affect other selection?

 

[sferrin]

https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1617374/

So apparently Boeing has won the contract...

I'm surprised it wasn't announced somewhere. ???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8V0bdpmKGg

 

[sferrin]

https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1617374/

So apparently Boeing has won the contract...

Wow, preety fast decision compared to other delayed delayed business.

Is it affect decision of T-X or too small to affect other selection?

My money is on LM winning T-X.

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-wins-big-navy-contract-for-drones-1535666569

 

[TomS]

https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1617374/

So apparently Boeing has won the contract...

I'm surprised it wasn't announced somewhere. ???

It's such a small acquisition, really. Just four airframes.

Which is why I doubt it will have a lot of impact on the T-X decision.

 

[flateric]

https://imgur.com/a/PVQvMe1