US Navy's X-47B UCAS Aircraft

MwRYum · Nov 30, 2012

This just reminds me of Call of Duty Black Ops 2...

Now, we need a USS Barak Obama...

Scratch · Dec 1, 2012

Re: US Navy's X-47B UCAS Aircraft locaded on USS Harry Truman

Jeff Head said:
US Navy loads the X-47B onto the USS Harry Truman for aircraft integration tests and qualificaitions. They will spend the next several weeks moving it aorund deck, parking it, using it on the elevators, and in the hangar bay spaces.

Early next year...probably in the Spring, they will conduct the first landings and take-offs from the carrier, so that is a really big milestone coming up.

On the same topic, the US navy has just conducted a cat launch of the X-47B from a land based test facility. Apparently all went well. So I'm now looking forward to operations from the Harry Truman early next year, maybe.

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US Navy details X-47B catapult launch test
By: Zach Rosenberg Washington DC

The US Navy has detailed the 29 November ground-based catapult launch of the Northrop Grumman X-47B, a key milestone in the path to carrier-based operations.

"Rotation and fly-out showed excellent flight dynamics," says Captain Jaime Engdahl, programme manager for unmanned combat air systems-demonstrator (UCAS-D), "with normal or nominal [aerodynamic] loads throughout the flight".
"We've gone through thousands of flights in simulations," he adds. "If you were to look at the simulations and our event yesterday, you would have seen no differences."
The aircraft was launched using a profile "very representative" of actual carrier launch conditions, according to Northrop, using a relatively benign but operable combination of takeoff weight, catapult force and headwinds.
The aircraft lifted off at 147kt (272km/h).

The launch marks the first of a "very conservative build-up" of speed, weight and forces as the navy simulates a catapult launch at sea.
"As we go through testing, it's pretty standard to take a conservative approach, at least initially," says Engdahl.
The aircraft will be launched several more times from the ground catapult before an actual aircraft carrier launch, planned for mid-2013.
The aircraft was manoeuvred to the catapult, on a runway at NAS Patuxent River, using the same model of handheld control display unit that controls the second air vehicle, which is currently aboard the aircraft carrier USS Truman undergoing deck handling tests.
The ship-based air vehicle is being used to establish and test deck handling, including exit from the landing area - involving disconnecting from the arrest wires that halt the aircraft abruptly - entry into the catapult area, and moving from the deck to the hangar bay using onboard elevators.
"We will do all of the integration work on the catapult -- in fact, taxi it up and position it on the catapult," says Engdahl. "We actually have many, many first steps to go before we catapult off a carrier."

bd popeye · Dec 1, 2012

Here's that video..perhaps we shall see an X-47B launched from CVN-75

[video=youtube;tc7Jo4XmamA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tc7Jo4XmamA[/video]

asif iqbal · Dec 1, 2012

How is it controlled from the carrier or a station back in the US mainland?

Jeff Head · Dec 2, 2012

asif iqbal said:
How is it controlled from the carrier or a station back in the US mainland?

If it is on a US Navy mission off of the carrier, then the US Navy will control it, probably from the carrier itself, though through SATCOM they coulod control it elsewhere if necessary.

Now, if it were on a CIA op, then they would control if from the field or from Langley.

But these birds are going to be integrated into the Air Wing so the Air Boss on the carrier will be in charge.

TerraN_EmpirE · Dec 3, 2012

Most people tend too forget the extensive command and control ability's of USN Nimitz class. They are not just Runways but also Computer and intelligence centers with massive computer power.

bd popeye · Dec 3, 2012

Most people tend too forget the extensive command and control ability's of USN Nimitz class.

Actually you should have posted;

Most people don't know about the extensive command and control ability's of USN Nimitz class.

trust me.. it's huge.

Jeff Head · Dec 9, 2012

bd popeye said:
trust me.. it's huge.

Huge and amazing...and with all the link capabilities and CE capabilities at so many levels of war fighting...it is actually incredible.

On war footing with the group zipped up and operating passively depending on so many far flung active systems and ready to go active itself with a virtual wall of active electronic direct and counter measures...a very tough nut to crack indeed.

kwaigonegin · Dec 10, 2012

bd popeye said:
Here's that video..perhaps we shall see an X-47B launched from CVN-75

[video=youtube;tc7Jo4XmamA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tc7Jo4XmamA[/video]

now that we've seen a cat launch (though on ground) I like to see an arrested landing for the UCAV!

bd popeye · Dec 10, 2012

Maybe!

The HST (CVN 75) is at sea with my friend an shipmate wicked_hind..

Check this out.

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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Dec. 9, 2012) The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator taxies on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Harry S. Truman is the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft. Harry S. Truman is underway supporting carrier qualifications. (U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David R. Finley Jr./ Released)

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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Dec. 9, 2012) The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator taxies on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Harry S. Truman is the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft. Harry S. Truman is underway supporting carrier qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kristina Young/Released)

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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Dec. 9, 2012) The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator taxies on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Harry S. Truman is the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft. Harry S. Truman is underway supporting carrier qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corp. by Alan Radecki/ Released)

US Navy's X-47B UCAS Aircraft

MwRYum

Major

Scratch

Captain

bd popeye

The Last Jedi

asif iqbal

Lieutenant General

Jeff Head

General

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King

bd popeye

The Last Jedi

Jeff Head

General

kwaigonegin

Colonel

bd popeye

The Last Jedi