US UAV and UCAV Technology

[Racer]

It looks more like a holding tie.

 

[Ian33]

Looks pretty one piece and no flap on it.

 

[sferrin]

Looks pretty one piece and no flap on it.

Slick.

 

[bobbymike]

If you can deal with the host's theatrics the latest episode of Future Weapons has some EXCELLENT footage of the new X-47B.

(Screen cap whilst they were unfolding the wings.)

Nobody dis my bro Mack, dude is a serious badass. Navy Seal, multiple black belts, scout sniper. My boy is Rambo X 10.

 

[sferrin]

If you can deal with the host's theatrics the latest episode of Future Weapons has some EXCELLENT footage of the new X-47B.

(Screen cap whilst they were unfolding the wings.)

Nobody dis my bro Mack, dude is a serious badass. Navy Seal, multiple black belts, scout sniper. My boy is Rambo X 10.

LOL yeah but he does tend to get into the moment a bit much at times.

 

[Colonial-Marine]

Looks pretty one piece and no flap on it.

I have rather lost track of this topic, what UAV is this now?

 

[Ian33]

Apologise friend. That is the NG X-47B demonstrator in assembly. Another poster asked if the exhaust had a flap on it for thrust vectoring - I hoped to show that it appears it does not.

 

[bobbymike]

sferrin - best line from "Future Weapons" the stealth episode. A LockMart engineer says about the F-35, "After we leave the battlespace all that's left will be teeth and eyeballs!"

Mack in enthusiastic but he has lived the life so he has walked the walk for sure.

 

[seruriermarshal]

>That's X47B ?

Yes, it was said before.

 

[Stargazer]

Sometimes it can be useful to simply right-click over the picture and select the image's properties... the name of the picture often contains the name of the model shown (which WAS the case here...).

 

[hesham]

Hi,

the SkyTote VTOL UAV.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/5478/

 

[Trident]

If you can deal with the host's theatrics the latest episode of Future Weapons has some EXCELLENT footage of the new X-47B.

(Screen cap whilst they were unfolding the wings.)

Looking at the right, we have the answer about the shape of the engine's nozzle.

Here: (Is it my imagination or is there a suggestion of a flap there at the trailing edge of the nozzle? I've looked the video several times and it's definitely not a video artifact.)

Might be a strap to tie it down on the jig. If it was a flap, would not the hinge line be out of alignment (stealth)?

 

[sferrin]

If you can deal with the host's theatrics the latest episode of Future Weapons has some EXCELLENT footage of the new X-47B.

(Screen cap whilst they were unfolding the wings.)

Looking at the right, we have the answer about the shape of the engine's nozzle.

Here: (Is it my imagination or is there a suggestion of a flap there at the trailing edge of the nozzle? I've looked the video several times and it's definitely not a video artifact.)

Might be a strap to tie it down on the jig. If it was a flap, would not the hinge line be out of alignment (stealth)?

Yeah, "Race" suggested that as well, and looking at it again I tend to agree with the strap notion.

 

[Trident]

Yeah, "Race" suggested that as well, and looking at it again I tend to agree with the strap notion.

Yes, he comfortably beat me to it - it's been a long day and I'm somewhat slow on the uptake

 

[Stargazer]

Hi,

the SkyTote VTOL UAV.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/5478/

The top picture seems to represent a different design from the bottom one. The top design seems a lot like the old Lockheed "Salmon" tailsitter, with equally spaced fins and rudders.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

the Hydrogen-powered UAV.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13639_3-10214731-42.html?tag=mncol;title

 

[Sundog]

When I see that second image, I can't help thinking, "It's VATOL, again!?" Of course, it becomes much more doable without the problems of what to do with the cockpit/pilot position during vertical flight.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

the Carter UAV;

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/as-the-croft-flies/Carter%20UAV_blog.JPG

 

[hesham]

Hi,

UAV pioneer unveils new design for long-endurance VTOL aircraft.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/03/01/338809/uav-pioneer-unveils-new-design-for-long-endurance-vtol-aircraft.html

 

[Triton]

Artist's impression of Dragonfly MEDEVAC UAV.

Artist's impression of Piasecki MEDEVAC UAV.

Source:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3ad31069fe-39a9-45d0-bc53-56226a0b4418&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

 

[Matej]

Can someone identify this concept? It seems to be high-speed VG wing UCAV.

 

[bobbymike]

Unmanned Systems Alert From Insidedefense.com

Card: Navy Seeking To Dub Next-Generation Unmanned Fighter 'Cutlass'

Inside the Navy, Nov. 15, 2010 -- The Navy wants to name the service's next-generation unmanned fighter and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft the "Cutlass," and the plan is to have a four- to eight-plane squadron on a carrier deck by 2018, Rear Adm. Kendall Card, director of concepts, strategies and integration for information dominance (N2/N6), said last week.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So "on the deck by 2018" that timeline sure seems to indicate "something" is further along the development stage, than I am aware of anyway.

 

[InvisibleDefender]

I guess Adm Card doesn't know that L3 already has a UAV named Cutlass... of course that's a company name and not 'official'

http://genaero.com/tech_uas/cutlass.htm

 

[AeroFranz]

They could choose something a little bit more successful than the F7 "Gutless" Cutlass...unless they are pointing to the fact that the namesake was also a tailless vehicle.

 

[red admiral]

So "on the deck by 2018" that timeline sure seems to indicate "something" is further along the development stage, than I am aware of anyway.

Or it's just rampant optimism. X-47B follow on was supposedly slated for introduction around 2018. It's difficult to see something being introduced by then given the state of play with F-35C. That's actually flying and is only going to reach IOC by 2018.

 

[Steve Pace]

So "on the deck by 2018" that timeline sure seems to indicate "something" is further along the development stage, than I am aware of anyway.

Or it's just rampant optimism. X-47B follow on was supposedly slated for introduction around 2018. It's difficult to see something being introduced by then given the state of play with F-35C. That's actually flying and is only going to reach IOC by 2018.

Moreover, the X-47B can't seem to get off the ground. -SP

 

[Ian33]

I was wondering if this that Boeing 'unknown' that was in their slide sheet as a 'strike system'? A Boeing air to air ucav maybe? twin engined job?

 

[LowObservable]

The Navy is presumably talking about UCLASS (unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike), which is not as ambitious as an X-47B-follow-on UCAV would be. It's what GA-ASI is pitching Sea Avenger for.

But Cutlass - NOOOOOOO! It would be like naming an RAF fighter Defiant.

 

[Steve Pace]

The Navy is presumably talking about UCLASS (unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike), which is not as ambitious as an X-47B-follow-on UCAV would be. It's what GA-ASI is pitching Sea Avenger for.

But Cutlass - NOOOOOOO! It would be like naming an RAF fighter Defiant.

You may recall that Chance Vought/U.S. Navy named its F7U Cutlass. -SP

 

[sferrin]

"Gutless Cutlass"

 

[Stargazer]

The Navy is presumably talking about UCLASS (unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike), which is not as ambitious as an X-47B-follow-on UCAV would be. It's what GA-ASI is pitching Sea Avenger for.

But Cutlass - NOOOOOOO! It would be like naming an RAF fighter Defiant.

You may recall that Chance Vought/U.S. Navy named its F7U Cutlass. -SP

Well; I thinl that's pretty much what he meant, Steve. Giving the name of a US Navy fighter to a USAF aircraft would be like naming an RAF fighter with the name of a Royal Navy fighter... :

 

[AeroFranz]

or maybe naming an aircraft after a (sadly) unsuccessful predecessor is not auspicious. I mean, nobody would christen a new liner the "Titanic II", would they?

 

[Stargazer]

or maybe naming an aircraft after a (sadly) unsuccessful predecessor is not auspicious. I mean, nobody would christen a new liner the "Titanic II", would they?

Well, yeah. But Titanic is a bit extreme an example, don't you think?? LOL
The Northrop Tiger II reused the name of Grumman's F11F, which had not had a very successful career... The McDonnell Phantom II reused the name of its less than glorious predecessor...

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:685b2650-20c1-403b-965f-e58aaa2d945e

 

[Matej]

So... what now? I think I will start today with something nice from LM.

 

[saintkatanalegacy]

vertically launched from a platform it seems...

I guess they like the idea of the cormorant a lot

 

[hesham]

Hi,

here is a tipjet VTOL UAV.

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA206738&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA252730&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

 

[Triton]

According to StephenTrimble of Steven Trimble's The DEW Line blog, speaking about a Powerpoint presentation to the AIAA presented by Dr. Charles Harris, head of the Research Directorate at NASA's Langley Research Center:

Harris also reveals an image (slide 6) I've never seen before of a US Navy concept for a very new kind of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It seems to combine elements of the old joined-wing SensorCraft idea with ... detachable UCAV's on each wing-tip?

Source:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2011/04/spotted-sensorcraft-revisited.html

 

[SOC]

What's this? Looks sorta like a Heron but the back end is all wrong for starters. More photos here:

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?197620-Is-it-a-UAV-or-a-piloted-aircraft-(Yes-I-ve-read-the-information-request-sticky)