Article Posted on : - Nov 30, 2011

The second X-47B demonstrator aircraft. Photo: Northrop Grumman

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE (BNS): The development of the X-47B unmanned aircraft will be accelerated following the first successful test flight of the second air vehicle developed for the US Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) programme.

The X-47B currently under development by Northrop Grumman was flight tested on November 22. The tailless, autonomous aircraft known as Air Vehicle 2 (AV-2) took off under hazy skies from Edwards Air Force Base at 12:43 p.m. PST, climbed rapidly to an altitude of 5,000 feet, flew several racetrack patterns over Rogers Dry Lake, then landed safely at 1:12 p.m, Northrop said in a statement.

In 2013, these aircraft will be used to demonstrate the first carrier-based launches and recoveries by an autonomous, low-observable-relevant unmanned aircraft. Autonomous aerial refueling demonstrations are planned for 2014.

"With two aircraft now available, we can increase the amount of aircraft performance data we gather, which will allow us to meet our required aircraft capability demonstration goals in a timely manner," said Carl Johnson, vice president and UCAS-D program manager.

He said, the availability of two test aircraft is important for helping the programme maintain a satisfactory flight test rhythm as it begins transitioning X-47B aircraft to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, for shore-based carrier suitability testing.

While one aircraft is being moved to Pax River, expected to occur by the end of 2011, the other one will continue envelope expansion flight testing at Edwards, he said.

The testing at Pax River is scheduled to begin in early 2012. It will include testing the X-47B's ability to conduct precision approaches to the carrier, and to perform arrested landings and "roll-out" catapult launches at land-based test facilities.

The testing will also include flight testing precision navigation computers and new guidance, navigation and control software recently installed on both aircraft. The new suite of hardware and software will enable the X-47B to make precision landings on a moving carrier deck.

The X-47B is a computer-controlled unmanned aircraft system that takes off, flies a preprogrammed mission, and then returns to base, all in response to mouse clicks from a mission operator.

The operator actively monitors the X-47B air vehicle's operation using simple situational awareness displays, but does not fly it via remote control, as some unmanned systems are operated.