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Type
UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle)
Country (Land)
USA
Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Northrop Grumman (Integrated Systems)
PO Box 509066
San Diego, CA 92150-9066
USA
Phone: 001-858/618-4405
Internet: www.northropgrumman.com
General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 0
Weapons (Bewaffnung): 2 x JDAM (905 kg each) or 12 of the Small Diameter Bombs (113 kg each).
For the UCAS-D programme of the US Navy, the X-47B will not carry weapons.
Power plant (Antrieb): 1 x Pratt & Whitney F100-220
Thrust (Schub): 105,7 kN
Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 11,63 m
Height (Höhe): 3,10 m
Span (Spannweite): 18,92 m
Weights (Massen)
Weapons laod (Waffenzuladung): 2040 kg internal
Max. gross weight (max. Abflugmasse): ca 19050 kg (up to 21790 kg have been mentioned)
Performance (Flugleistungen)
Cruise speed (Marschgeschwindigkeit): high subsonic
Service ceiling (Gipfelhöhe): 12190 m (40000 ft)
Combat radius (Einsatzradius): over 2775 km (1500 NM) for ISR missions
Ferry range (Reichweite): 6500 km
Flight time (Einsatzdauer): about 7 hours
Customers (Kunden)
US Navy: Two air vehicles and two ground stations were ordered on 1 August 2007, after the X-47B won the UCAS-D competition against the Boeing X-45.
In the earlier J-UCAS programme, which was stopped in early 2006, three X-47B demonstration vehicles with three associated mission-control stations and logistical support elements were to have been built.
Costs (Kosten)
Northrop Grumman got a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract worth 635,860 million US-Dollars on 1 August 2007. This runs until September 2013 and includes two air vehicles and two ground stations.
For the operational assessment phase of the J-UCAS concept demonstration programme, Northrop Grumman had been awarded a contract from DARPA on 18 August 2004. It had a potential value of 1,0373 billion US-Dollars. That programme was cancelled in early 2006 by the Pentagon.
Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Boeing X-45C
Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The X-47B is a stealthy unmanned surveillance and attack aircraft for land- and ship-based operations. Targeted missions encompass suppression of enemy air defences, penetrating surveillance in denied enemy airspace and precision strike. According to DARPA, the X-47B defines the larger end of the J-UCAS test vehicles (compared to the Boeing X-45C).
The UCAV is to have a synthetic aperture radar and an integrated electronic warfare system.
The X-47B is “the initial air-vehicle configuration for a modular X-47 system”, said Northrop Grumman.
For the UCAS-D programme of the US Navy, the emphasis is on reconnaissance and surveillance missions with electro-optic, infrared and radar sensors.
Team members include:
Dell:
Eaton Aeropspace:
GE Aviation:
GKN Aerospace: design and fabrication of the forward fuselage.
Goodrich: Stealthy, flush mounted air data system
Hamilton Sundstrand:
Honeywell:
Lockheed Martin: Leading edges of the aircraft, control surfaces and engine inlet as well as systems integration
Moog Inc.:
Parker Aerospace:
Pratt & Whitney: F100-220 engine, a modified version of the Pratt & Whitney F100-220E that powers current F-15E and F-16
Rockwell Collins:
Smiths: is the largest non-partner equipment supplier, contributing the vehicle and mission management computers, landing gear system, electical power generation and distribution, triple-redundant engine interface units (EIU) and engine throttle actuators (ETAs). The ETA is supplied in partnership with Eaton Aerospace.
Wind River Systems: software parts
History (Geschichte)
Northrop Grumman flew its X-47A Pegasus for its first and only time on 23 February 2003.
The company unveiled its operational systems concept for a naval unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV-N) on 15 April 2003. The concept combined the “kite” aerodynamic shape demonstrated with the X-47A with a “flying wing” shape.
As a modification to its Phase IIA UCAV-N agreement, Northrop Grumman got an additional 160 million US-Dollars in April 2003 for the production of two full-scale X-47B vehicles. The company said it will adapt its design to accommodate a consolidated set of Navy and Air Force performance demands.
Lockheed Martin was added to the X-47 program in July 2003.
On 16 September 2003, Northrop Grumman announced that it had selected Pratt & Whitney as its propulsion partner on the X-47B. A definitive powerplant was not named at that time, but the F100 was said to be favourite for the prototypes.
The Pentagon established the J-UCAS programme in the fall of 2003.
A full-scale model of the X-47B was unveiled during the opening of the Farnborough International Air Show in July 2004. The model was also shown at the International Air Tattoo the weekend before. At that time, a first flight was planned for 2006.
A new systems integration laboratory (SIL) to help identify any potential hardware, software or system cost issues was opened on 15 October 2004 at the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems unit in San Diego.
On 2 June 2005, Northrop Grumman said that it had started construction of the first X-47B. The work was being performed by teammate GKN Aerospace in St. Louis Flight demonstrations were now expected to begin in 2007.
On 12 August 2005, Pratt & Whitney and Northrop Grumman announced that they have begun ground testing the power plant for the X-47B in West Palm Beach, Fla. Pratt & Whitney had completed assembly of the first ground test engine at the company's engine center in San Antonio, Texas. The engine was delivered in June and had accumulated over 80 ground test hours to date. "The ground testing program will validate all major elements of the X-47B propulsion system, including inlet compatibility, exhaust system performance and durability, controls, and subsystem integration," said Jim Reed, J-UCAS Program Manager for Pratt & Whitney. "Included in the ground test run series was a simulated carrier approach throttle cycle. The engine performance has been flawless to date."
On 12 October 2005, X-47B-partner Lockheed Martin reported that a full-scale pole model had completed its first round of testing at the Helendale Measurement Facility in California. The radar cross section testing of the vehicle was planned to continue throughout 2006. The full-scale pole model was designed and built in less than 13 months and funded entirely with Lockheed Martin's Independent Research and Development dollars. What made it distinct from conventional pole model designs was its modular and flexible configuration, allowing future large scale physical changes.
The J-UCAS programme was terminated by the Pentagon in early 2006, as no more funds were allocated to the programme in Fiscal 2007. This was because USAF interest had vaned. The US Navy on the other hand was funded to continue research work on unmanned combat air vehicles able to land on aircraft carriers.
An RFP for the Unmanned Air Combat System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) was issued in late 2006, with responses due by 2 April 2007. The announcement of a winner was expected by June.
On 1 August 2007, the Department of Navy announced that Northrop Grumman, Integrated Systems had been selected to provide the Navy Unmanned Combat Air Systems Technical Demonstration. The $635.8 Million Cost Plus Incentive Fee contract was for the demonstration of the aircraft carrier suitability of an autonomous low-observable unmanned air vehicle, as well as demonstrate critical aircraft carrier suitability technologies in a relevant environment. Specifically, the effort will involve shipboard operation, including catapult takeoffs, arrested landings and flight in the immediate vicinity of an aircraft carrier. Flight testing was scheduled to begin in late 2009 or early 2010.
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