US Navy MQ-25 Stingray Unmanned Aerial Tanker

Boeing’s new head of Phantom Works division sets sights on MQ-25 tanker drone, MUX unmanned rotorcraft
By: Valerie Insinna   1 hour ago

Boeing's booth at the 2018 Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference in Qatar. (Chirine Mouchantaf/Staff)
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Boeing’s entrant for the Navy’s MQ-25 tanker drone competition will incorporate technologies from its recently acquired subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, the company’s head of its Phantom Works advanced tech and prototyping division confirmed Monday.

But Mark Cherry, who was named the vice president Phantom Works in October, isn’t giving up any information about Aurora’s contribution to the program until the Navy awards a contract this summer.

“We’re in a competitive situation so we wouldn’t want to tip off our competitors,” he told Defense News in his first interview in his new role. “The ability to leverage Aurora, we do it in ways that make sense in terms of putting us in a good competitive position.”

While Cherry gave no hints as to which Aurora technologies could be adopted in MQ-25, the company specializes in a couple key areas. It’s well known as a pioneer of unmanned aircraft like the ultra-long endurance Orion drone, as well as autonomous tech such as robotic copilots. It also manufactures advanced materials and aerostructures and has developed experimental aircraft concepts.

As the former president and chief operating officer of Aurora, Cherry is intimately familiar with the company’s product line and capabilities. But as Phantom Works’ head, he will have to expand his aperture to a wider product range that includes satellites and space platforms, fighter aircraft and munitions — a task he says is “really exciting.”

“One of the things that Leanne [Caret, CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security] challenged me on when I came in was to ensure that Phantom Works was the Phantom Works for all of Boeing Defense. So one of the things we did was make sure we had touchpoints with all of the different organizations within Boeing Defense as opposed to focusing on one particular sector.”

The Marine Corps’ program — which goes by the unwieldy name of Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System Expeditionary or MUX — could be a key test of Boeing’s ability to break down those silos.

The service in March released a request for information for MUX, seeking out insight from industry on long-range, ship-based unmanned rotorcraft that could be used for surveillance, as a communications relay and as armed support for manned aircraft.

That kind of a platform could be helmed by several of Boeing’s divisions, but rather than passing over MUX to the company’s rotorcraft or autonomous systems business, the intent is to work collaboratively as requirements evolve, Cherry said.

“The touch points we’ve established will help us streamline what’s the right answer for the Marine Corps for that need,” he said. “We’re doing that as an integrated approach.”

Cherry also said he wants to reevaluate how Phantom Works functions, and make changes where it makes sense to keep the organization agile.

After he assumed leadership of Phantom Works, “we did a lot of things in terms of moving out quickly and looking at process as very added. And that’s one of the things that we’re taking a hard look at is where process is actually adding value and where process we might need to look at doing some things — it might be — a bit differently,” he said.

That’s not to say that Phantom Works’ structure or processes are currently unwieldy or overly bureaucratic, but “whenever you’re in a large organization, you have to challenge paradigms,” he said. “You have to take a look at and see what does make sense and what doesn’t make sense.”

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General Atomics demonstrates MQ-25 drone’s flight deck capability
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  4 hours ago
WASHINGTON ― General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has successfully demonstrated flight deck taxi capability for the MQ-25. Using a

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as a surrogate, the company demonstrated its unmanned platforms can integrate with the complexities of flight deck operations.

The Avenger specifically showed it could taxi and transition to launch and recovery phases. “This demonstration proves that the GA-ASI solution will integrate into existing ship operations, and that translates into less time spent steaming into the wind for launches and recoveries,” David R. Alexander, president of GA-ASI’s aircraft systems unit, said in a news release.

Flight deck operators used specially designed wands that enabled the unmanned system to “see“ standard Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization flight deck director hand gestures using GA-ASI recognition algorithms.

“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/or flash to show that they have received a command and indicate the aircraft’s condition or operating state,” Alexander said. “To give you an idea of how the system works, think Wii for aircraft control.”



The other companies competing for the MQ-25 contract ― Boeing and Lockheed Martin ― have also been making progress on their respective proposals. Boeing has already constructed one prototype and may very well be close to

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.

Unlike Boeing,

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has opted not to construct a prototype until a contract has been awarded. However, Rob Weiss, outgoing head of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, said the company is “prepared to move into an accelerated program for the development phase.”

The Navy plans to pick an MQ-25 vendor this summer and will award a contract for the four engineering and manufacturing development aircraft, with an option for three more test assets.

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Jura said:

Mar 17, 2018
well
Phantom Works selects Rolls-Royce turbofan to power MQ-25 bid

• 
  
  
  • 05 April, 2018

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The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI)/Pratt & Whitney (P&W) team completed its first powered run of the PW815 engine with the GA-ASI MQ-25A inlet and exhaust configuration on April 5, GA-ASI announced in a May 30 release. The PW815 engine was selected by to power GA-ASI’s proposed solution for the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial refueling aircraft. The test met all objectives and collected extensive data that the team is now evaluating.

“Through the superb efforts of personnel from both companies, we were able to move the test date forward by almost two months, from the originally scheduled date in late May,” said David R. Alexander, president, Aircraft Systems, GA-ASI. “This is just another example of how we are working to reduce risk and accelerate capability. GA-ASI has a 14-year history working with P&W and selected the PW815 engine for the MQ-25 based on its exceptional performance and fuel efficiency. This performance and efficiency will subsequently translate into more available fuel for the receiving aircraft. Additionally, initial studies have shown the PW815 is well-suited for a carrier environment.”

The rapid development of the engine test stand demonstrates the team’s dedication to the principles of the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Accelerated Capability Office. The test stand was commissioned at the beginning of 2018 and the first test run was ready just three months later. A PW815 engine was delivered to GA-ASI’s test facility on March 5 and by early April, the team successfully performed the first test.

“Through many years of working with GA-ASI, we are routinely impressed with the quality of work produced and speed at which it is accomplished,” said Kinda Eastwood, senior director of F117 and Tanker Programs of Pratt & Whitney. “This engine run was no exception. It performed flawlessly and met all test requirements. GA-ASI continuously pushes the envelope to meet the objectives and timelines for their customers.”

The GA-ASI and Pratt & Whitney team will continue risk reduction testing in anticipation of the Navy’s MQ-25 selection in the coming months.

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Published on Apr 13, 2018

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bd popeye said:

Thanks for posting Jura. I did not realize the USN was as far along in R &D on this aircraft.

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Jura said:

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Jura said:

now watched this vid :

liked the top view most

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Air Force Brat said:

"Hellfire and Damnation" we got ourselves a "FREAKING FLYING GAS CAN!" aint that the "Shit's", they ought to make the damn thing stealthy while they're at it, give us some real reach off those carriers.... they need to keep the cost down as well, for those super long range "suicide missions" where the tanker flys out to meet those returning F-35s and drains the tanks of the MQ-25 to get the "manned bird" back to the boat!

Nobody will be out of reach! remember "Fast just burns more GAS!" Stealth is the "Secret Sauce", yes I realize its NOT part of the official requirement, but it should be!

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Jura said:

Apr 6, 2018
while the other proposal ...:
GA-ASI, Pratt & Whitney Team Demonstrates Successful MQ-25 Engine Test

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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has completed the fourth wind tunnel test of its MQ-25 design.

The recent test was to confirm the aircraft’s ability to perform launch, recovery, waveoff and bolter manoeuvres on an aircraft carrier at low speeds. The low-speed wind tunnel test verified the performance of the unmanned aerial vehicle’s high-lift system and spoiler-based direct lift control, GA-ASI announced 31 July.

“The wind tunnel testing helps us to accurately predict the aircraft’s suitability for carrier operations,” said David Alexander, president of GA-ASI Aircraft Systems. “The test results allow us to verify the aerodynamic characteristics of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). These tests are critical to the validation of the system’s up and away mission performance and will subsequently lower technical performance risk for the Navy customer.”

GA-ASI also previously carried out a high-speed test at NASA Ames’ 11-foot transonic wind tunnel, the company said. Results from that test established the aerodynamic characteristics needed to validate the mission performance of the vehicle.

The firm said it plans additional tests during the engineering & manufacturing development (EMD) phase, such as flowing inlet, powered exhaust and ice shape tests to further validate the design. EMD wind tunnel tests will conclude with a high-speed test to evaluate the separation of the aerial refueling store and external fuel tank.

The company announced 23 July that it concluded performance testing of its MQ-25 arresting hook hold down damper. And, on 5 July, it announced that it was using an integrated fuel structure in its proposed design; testing the wing box until failure via wing bending in November 2017.

GA ASI has waged a more public campaign of milestone and test announcements compared to its rivals, Boeing and Lockheed, for the US Navy’s MQ-25 UAV tanker programme. The USN is set to pick a winner this September.

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