EXCLUSIVE: Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) An ATS Analysis & Discussion

wow, this sure did trump my x-45 thread


Could the DoD be thinking that all these aircraft can make up for the small number of F-22's we will be seeing compared to the original number?

Originally posted by American Mad Man
Could the DoD be thinking that all these aircraft can make up for the small number of F-22's we will be seeing compared to the original number?

I don't think that is part of the present plan as the UCAV's tech is not up to the Air Superiority task yet.

The UCAV's may very well do tasks that the F-35 is slated for - so I could see some F-35's going on a ground attack mission with a formation of UCAV's in the not so distant future.

I think the F-22's buy is shrinking simply due to the delays and cost overages.

I have seen some reports questioning whether the F-22 will go the way of the Comanche, but I don't see that happening. So far the F-22 is the only thing we have that can fulfill the Air Superiority role of the future.



[Edited on 31-3-2004 by intelgurl]

Excellent post Bios.Future looks great for uav's.Here's a little info on another uav...

HIMAT(HIGHLY MANUEVERABLE AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGY)

Two vehicles were used in the research program conducted jointly by NASA and the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The two vehicles, flown a total of 26 times, provided data on the use of composites, aeroelastic tailoring, close-coupled canards and winglets, and investigated the interaction of these then-new technologies upon each other.

About one-half the size of a standard manned fighter and powered by a General Electric J85-21 jet engine, the HiMAT vehicles were launched from NASA's B-52 carrier aircraft at an altitude of about 45,000 feet. They were flown remotely by a NASA research pilot from a ground station with the aid of a television camera mounted in the HiMAT cockpits.

Technologies tested on the HiMAT vehicles appearing later on other aircraft include the extensive use of composites common now on military and commercial aircraft; rear-mounted wing and forward canard configuration used very successfully on the X-29 research aircraft flown at Dryden; and winglets, now used on many private and commercial aircraft to lessen wingtip drag and enhance fuel savings. The supersonic research vehicles were 21.1 feet long, 15.2 feet wide, and had a top speed of Mach 1.4.

www.dfrc.nasa.gov...
www.dfrc.nasa.gov...

I just foud this article on Wired.com:

Revenge of the Killer Drones

Very good article on armed UAV's

Check this out:

3/26/2004 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- The Joint-Unmanned Combat Air System X-45A successfully carried out an inert-weapons release here March 20, marking the first weapons release from the internal bay of the high-speed, stealthy unmanned aircraft.

"All testing leading up to (the) weapon jettison went extremely well," said Maj. Mike Marston, an X-45A test pilot. "The time and preparation put in paid big dividends when the inert weapon successfully cleared the aircraft's internal weapon bay."

Along with successfully releasing an inert, unguided small smart bomb, the testing demonstrated the aircraft's maximum envelope of about 495 mph and 35,000 feet. It also verified proper operation of the weapons bay door and tested its ability to transmit a radar image to the ground operator within time and bandwidth constraints, said 2nd Lt. Devon Christensen, Air Force Flight Test Center X-45A deputy program manager.

Before the flight, the program conducted three successful test flights March 11, 13 and 17, said Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency officials.

March 11 was the first of two regression flights to validate new software changes.

During this flight, the X-45A unexpectedly had to be redirected around the flight pattern when an in-flight emergency was declared by another aircraft. Air traffic controllers redirected the X-45A around the flight pattern to allow the other aircraft to safely land, demonstrating the X-45A's ability to fly with manned aircraft, said Boeing officials.

Software changes were also validated during the second regression flight, Lieutenant Christensen said.

During the March 17 flight, the team successfully completed a captive-carry flight and validated software changes. The X-45A carried, but did not release, a Global Positioning System satellite-guided bomb during this flight, Lieutenant Christensen said. The X-45A used the same mission plan for the captive-carry flight that was used for the inert weapons release to dry-run the release procedures.

"The dry-run was excellent; it helped configure the communications software for (the) flight [March 20], during which the X-45A successfully released an inert weapon while flying the exact same flight configuration practiced March 17," Lieutenant Christensen said.

All of these flights support the release of another bomb at China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center in April, Lieutenant Christensen said.

"Our program is designed to provide the military with a weapon system that can operate without placing men and women in harms way," Major Marston said. "We are developing an aircraft that will be a lethal means of force, protecting warfighters who risk their lives to perform dangerous missions."

The X-45A began flight testing here with its first flight May 22, 2002.

The team is working toward the ultimate goal of developing the next generation of unmanned aerial vehicles to demonstrate the military value of the concept, said research agency officials. (Some information courtesy of Boeing and DARPA

I know I put a video of the drop test some replies earlier. there a 3 links one to the original storie on the AF site

GoldenEye-100 UAV Successfully Completes Initial Flight Test Program

Manassas VA - Apr 08, 2004
Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation has successfully completed its initial flight test program for the company's GoldenEye-100 unmanned aerial vehicle. Flight testing began in September 2003 and all of the GoldenEye-100's flights, including the first flight last fall, have been in fully autonomous control modes.
The initial flight test program validated the GoldenEye-100's vertical takeoff and landing capability, thrust vectoring, long-duct acoustic suppression, torsionally disconnected wings, stability and control, hovering flight, waypoint navigation, operation in civil airspace, and ability to carry payloads.

In addition, the GoldenEye-100 successfully completed a radiation detection and measurement demonstration carrying a client payload that clearly demonstrated the utility of the GoldenEye-100 for these kinds of operations.


more

well here a link with more news on the drop of a small smart bomb near a truck by a x45

www.space.com...

I think the Predator and Avenger programs are nothing but pure "TERMINATOR" slangs, these machines will do nothing but wreek havock and destruction on mankind, and eventually take control of the world, considering that SkyNet is a factual satellite weapons based system already deployed by the British.
Vince F. Riehl

reply to post by PARALYZ


That's one aspect of the UAV's I've found intriguing; having them perform maneuvers that human pilots just physically can't. Having one of those UAV as your wingman in an engagement could make for some nasty surprises to your foes. Air combat is about to get tons more complicated I think.