New Boeing Phantom Works UAV unveiled

a reply to: BASSPLYR
Ram inlet to power the Pew Pews or Plasma generators?
Only way to smooth the boundary layer is straighten it out before the inlet and stop the turbulence as it rolls into the inlet.Internally a set of internal rifled chines could create a vortex inside channeling it onto the blades..Or maybe its a new bypass to a new engine system.

Everyone remember the experiments associated with a shape morphing wing, could this technology have been adapted for a variable sized intake?

With this particular model could the intake area be dynamically pushed up further into the airflow profile being kicked off the front nose area?

We don't know specifically where the air flow would be modified, whether or not it be on the initial flow of air within the intake, or directly before passing into the turbine section to decrease turbulence.

Edit.... Or maybe nothing of the sort as its completely subsonic?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: helldiver

There are no other pics. Boeing won't reveal the entire aircraft until they have to, probably next year when they do deck testing.

Well you have this one.

a reply to: spy66

All of which were released several days after that post.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: spy66

All of which were released several days after that post.

There are a few more even from when they tok the carpet of. But i gues you have these?

This is what I still find interesting. It's obvious they simply repurposed their UCLASS design.

UCLASS:



Stingray:

The Navy wants to get an extra 15,000lbs of fuel airborne within a 500mi radius using the Stingray (Or other UAV system)

Any thoughts as to if this is a scaled prototype? or full size, and capable of carrying that amount of fuel internally (or all externally or both?)

a reply to: Zaphod58

Inlet pulled forward and shrunk it "looks" like. To make more space for the tanks?

The real bird looks like it raided a See's Candy store too many times, too: looks 'chubbier,' but that might be a product of the perspective though.

a reply to: anzha

www.thedrive.com...

New photos. The bird was out in the open. Sadly, the pix are low res but give some interesting info about it.

I'm guessing they are trying to get engine work ups and then get flying as fast as possible so they can do carrier testing.

So, about that inlet, Zaph. That slit seems to be all there is. Curious that. Very curious.

a reply to: anzha

Still not buying a 15K offload at 500 nm.

Even if they don't plan on flying it, they can do engine and taxi tests. Then if they're selected, it's all but ready to fly.

Gotcha


Exclusive: New Photos Of Boeing's MQ-25 Tanker Drone On The Ramp In St. Louis
www.thedrive.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

That Admiral was stating the flying squids wanted something mature. That's part of the reason I thought NG was in the pilot's seat. Boeing seems to think they can get through the gate esp with NG opting out.

I'd think GA and Lockheed would need to get birds out and testing if they want to have a chance to win this.

Does Boeing have something against 'pretty' birds for the navy? I mean between this and their X-32, they seem to like brown bag specials...

a reply to: mightmight

12 minutes too late.

Just like the 5 minutes too late for the drone attack on the Russian bases I did.

a reply to: anzha

I'm the biggest advocate ever for form follows function, but I agree. It's like they deliberately design the ugliest platform they can come up with.

I suspect GA has something close to flying already. They're big on the whole "oh, by the way, look what we built" thing.

a reply to: anzha

Too much going on.

I think it looks neat. Little bloated maybe. Blame the Navy.

a reply to: spy66

m.aviationweek.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

I don't buy the wanted capacity of the navy, and Boeing's submission as being a serious contender.

Will the Navy settle for what they can get out of it quickly, over a NG or GD submission that has been tested and is closer to their wanted requirements but has more kinks and bugs to workout vs. Boeing's.

a reply to: BoutThere

It's going to end up being the B-21 all over again. The Raider basically came down to industrial base protection. Boeing is in very real danger of closing down St Louis in the very near future. They still have some orders to fill that will keep it going until about 2023 or so, but not much past that.

If Boeing doesn't make it until F-X and F/A-XX that's going to basically make it a no bid contract going to Lockheed. They can't let that happen, so I suspect it's Boeing's to lose.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: anzha

Still not buying a 15K offload at 500 nm.

Even if they don't plan on flying it, they can do engine and taxi tests. Then if they're selected, it's all but ready to fly.

I don't think they can stuff enough fuel in it as it stands. They almost definitely had this well in-progress when the requirements shifted most recently. So I'd think of this as the new "proof of concept" vehicle where they get their own data and experience with launch/recovery, spotting, handling, etc. This is supposedly single-engine, which makes me doubt this is the final offering, also.
I'd bet they'll need a new design heavily derived from this one to meet requirements, but they can say, "hey, it's really similar to this one, and we made it work already".

But we'll see.

a reply to: RadioRobert

Considering they changed requirements 15 times since UCLASS started, they'll probably drop the offload requirements before award.