Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Reveals First Navy Unmanned Combat Aircraft

[darrels joy]

Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Reveals First Navy Unmanned Combat Aircraft

PALMDALE, Calif., Dec. 16, 2008 -- Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) today unveiled the first of the U.S. Navy's new unmanned combat aircraft at a ceremony here attended by Navy officials, state and local government representatives, suppliers and Northrop Grumman employees. The new aircraft, designated the X-47B Navy Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS), is the first of two aircraft Northrop Grumman will produce for the Navy to demonstrate unmanned combat aircraft operations from the deck of an aircraft carrier.

Northrop Grumman unveils the X47B UCAS-D air vehicle one at its Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility. Photos by Jeff Swann Grumman unveils the X47B UCAS-D air vehicle one at its Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility. Photos by Jeff Swann

Photos accompanying this release are available at http://media.primezone.com/noc/

"Unveiling the first X-47B UCAS aircraft signals a sea change in military aviation, made possible through the Navy's vision and leadership," said Scott Winship, Northrop Grumman vice president and Navy UCAS program manager. "I'm extremely proud of the Northrop Grumman-led industry team for its tireless dedication and hard work accomplishing this important milestone."

The Navy awarded the demonstration contract to Northrop Grumman in 2007 and aircraft assembly was completed in just over a year.

"The X-47B will demonstrate how unmanned combat aircraft can operate from aircraft carriers and is a necessary first step toward extending the aircraft carrier's reach and power projection from anywhere in the world," said Capt. Martin Deppe, the U.S. Navy Unmanned Combat Aircraft System Program Manager. "We look forward to a time when we can introduce a new long range, persistent, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) -- strike capability to the carrier decks of tomorrow."

The aircraft will now undergo subsystem and structural testing in preparation for first flight in fall 2009. UCAS CV Demonstration sea trials are planned to begin in late 2011.

"We have seen unimaginable technology emerge from California's Antelope Valley and Northrop Grumman," said U.S. Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon of California's 25th Congressional District. "The X-47B UCAS joins a respected legion of exciting military aircraft produced here in the district. While this X-47B is the first of its kind, I believe it is the first in a long line of unmanned combat aircraft that will be produced by the talented men and women of Northrop Grumman's Palmdale manufacturing center."

The second X-47B aircraft is in initial assembly at the Palmdale, Calif., facility and is expected to be completed in 2009.

The X-47B UCAS is produced by Northrop Grumman and industry teammates including Dell, Eaton Aerospace, GE Aviation, GKN Aerospace, Goodrich, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Moog, Parker Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Rockwell Collins and Wind River.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company, with over 120,000 employees providing innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.


CONTACT: Kimberly Prato Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems (858) 618-4405
http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/p....html?d=156493

[darrels joy]

US Navy Rolls Out First Terminator-esque Robotic Hunter/Killers
Related: Is Missile Defense Now Dead?





I understand there have been concerns
about my decisions lately, Dave, but I want to assure you
I have corrected the problem and have the greatest
enthusiasm for the project of destroying humanity.
I mean, protecting America from foreign threats.
That's what I meant, Dave.
Dave?
Dave?
Why are you looking at me like that, Dave?
That black-slit in the front really needs a back-and-forth LED eye. Like KITT. But not with that Jeeves accent. (Steve #2 says it's an air intake, and of course he's right, but allows they still need a red scrolling eye in it. It doesn't matter if it's cosmetic -- it lets people know that Evil Shit is about to come down on them.)
The planes are not just remotely controlled drones, note. They are, more or less, robots, at least in the sense they're program-and-fire, no need for human intervention while carrying out their tasks.

The X-47B project will provide just two demonstrator aircraft, mainly intended to prove that unmanned planes can successfully take off from and land onto US carriers. Catapult launch - and even more so, arrested landings - have traditionally been considered one of the most difficult and stressful piloting feats.
Apart from proving the concept of unmanned carrier aircraft, however, the X-47B will also be able to conduct air-to-air refuelling - giving it almost unlimited endurance. The US Navy hasn't asked for more, but in fact the aircraft would have little difficulty carrying weapons and flying autonomous strike missions, as it is derived from a previous joint programme between the navy and air force intended to produce a plane which could do just that. The X-47B, in fact, will be one of the first true killer robots, able to conduct a mission using live weapons without needing to communicate with pilots or even supervisors on its mother ship or back in the USA. Current roboplanes are typically handled in combat over satcomms channels from bases in America, and take off and land under the control of pilots in ground stations near the runway.

The air-to-air refueling can also be carried out without pilot input -- automated.
Thanks to Arthur.

CGI Fun:


From Bugler.
Is Missile Defense Now Dead? Rep. Tauscher (D) claims that she can't approve "untested" missiles being sent to Poland. An omen, Closing Velocity thinks, that the Democrats have decided to kill missile defense.
Incidentally, the "untested" missiles are simpler two-stage versions of three-stage missile that just passed its test last week.


Posted by: Ace at 05:05 PM

http://minx.cc/?post=279902