Posted on 06/14/2005 9:20:21 AM PDT by Righty_McRight
PARIS, June 14, 2005 — The Boeing [NYSE: BA] X-45A J-UCAS (Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems) program received the prestigious Flight International Aerospace Industry Award for 2005 in the category of Missiles and Military Aviation.
Held in conjunction with the Paris Air Show, the awards cover twelve categories representing military and commercial aerospace. Darryl Davis, program manager during the majority of the X-45A flight test program, and now vice president of Boeing Global Strike Solutions, accepted the award on behalf of the Boeing/DARPA/Air Force/Navy J-UCAS team.
“We met the challenge to develop an autonomous unmanned aircraft capable of handling complex combat missions,” said Davis. “We’ve set a very high mark in the unmanned arena and I believe that together with our DARPA, Air Force, and Navy teammates we’ve charted a clear path for the future.”
Ever since its first flight on May 22, 2002 the X-45A has accumulated a series of unprecedented aviation milestones. As the first autonomous unmanned aircraft designed from inception for weapons capability, the X-45A has ushered in a new era of aviation. The two X-45A demonstrators have flown coordinated simulated combat missions and recently surpassed 52 total flights.
Also acknowledged during the awards ceremony was George Muellner, vice president and general manager of Boeing Air Force Systems. Muellner was president of Boeing Phantom Works when the X-45A program was initiated.
“This award also recognizes Boeing’s advanced research and development organization, Phantom Works, which has been tasked to take on high-risk projects and bring them to fruition,” said Muellner. “Clearly, the X-45A is an excellent example of concept development and flight test, followed by a seamless transition to our Air Force Systems business unit.”
During its remarkable flight test program, the X-45A:
Flew with a T-33 X-45A surrogate aircraft to successfully demonstrate integration of an unmanned X-45A with a manned aircraft in air-traffic-controlled airspace.
Demonstrated the first autonomous release of a 250-pound inert Small Smart Bomb, which scored a direct hit from an altitude of 25,000 feet.
Operated together with another X-45A unmanned aircraft, under the control of a single pilot-operator in a coordinated flight, successfully completing the first ever multiple air vehicle control flight demonstration.
Demonstrated increased sophistication in a test where two X-45As departed in succession and entered coordinated flight over the test range. The air vehicles flew successfully in several different multi-vehicle flight configurations, verifying their ability to autonomously enter and exit in coordinated flight based on pre-identified points.
Confirmed “beyond-line-of-sight” control after an autonomous takeoff from Edwards AFB, with an X-45A controlled by a pilot-operator in Seattle, Wash., nearly 900 miles away using UHF SATCOM.
Demonstrated dual vehicle flight mission capability in February 2005 when two X-45As flew a simulated combat mission during their ‘milestone’ 50th flight. The X-45As flew a simulated combat air patrol profile and determined how to deal with pop-up ground threats in a reactive Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses mission.
Under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contract, Boeing is currently building three larger X-45C aircraft capable of cruising at 0.85 Mach at 40,000 feet, with a 4,500-pound payload. The ‘C’ version will have an increased mission radius of 1,300 nautical miles. Future mission scenarios could evolve with unmanned aircraft complementing manned strike aircraft. Unmanned aircraft would be capable of eliminating preplanned targets as well as previously unknown threats, clearing the path for manned aircraft and thus saving lives and assuring mission success.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.5 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government, and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world’s largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world’s largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA’s largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.
### Contacts: Erik Simonsen The Boeing Company 562-496-5692 (office) 562-234-1498 (cell) erik.simonsen@boeing.com
Paul Lewis The Boeing Company 562-537-1990 (blackberry) +33 (0) 689 188 203 (cell) paul.j.lewis2@boeing.com
Bill Barksdale The Boeing Company 314-232-0860 (office) 314-707-3294 (cell) william.a.barksdale@boeing.com
Something had been bugging me since seeing that french "copy".
Hate to say it the X-45C hasn't even been built. The engine was only delivered last Nov-Dec (IIRC). That's totally photshopped.
The Neuron, hasn't even gotten to the clay model stage, they are only getting into a 7 year (2 years already done) research program into stealth aircraft in Europe. They hope the Euron will make it's maiden flight in 2010. Based on the plans for AirBust, figure 2015.
So this entire initial post is "made up"?
The french have long used their inteligence services for ecconomic espionage
The boeing site says that is an X-45C model, I guess I should of labeled them both as models.
I suspect that this craft will pull a lot higher than 11G's
Not at all. But the picture is not real.
Boeing build the X-45A. It did everything quoted and even more. It's a great plane with fantastic prospects. But it was a software and technolgy test bed. The X-45C is quite a bit bigger but will use the same technology as the X-45A which is continuing to be worked on. It is under construction right now, and is expected to fly in 2007.
The USAF is so confident in the X-45 program they have already designated the X-45C and the A-45.
Give Rummy a thumbs up on boosting these programs. He's a major proponent. (He was a Naval aviator!)
No problem RM, I'm just anal about facts ;)
You won't see this aircraft in A2A combat, atleast WVR. The plane is not designed for it, nor do we have the technology to actually build one yet. This aircraft is destined for SNEAD missions and/or being a A2A missile carrier for a manned aircraft (notice the T-38 and X-45 flying in formation reference).
There are so many awards (left over from the golden age of development) and so few new platforms coming down the pike, I've often wondered what the point was.
Its a bit like being employee of the month at a store with four employees. Yippee...
Got it.
Exactly. There are some on the web, and it's not as cool looking as the design for the X-45C. The X-45A was was designed to test out a lot of stuff. So looking cool was not a requirement. ;)
The ACCURATE data on the X-45 and X-47 can be found at www.darpa.mil/j-ucas
Note that the Northrop-Grumman X-47 is a worthy competitor to the X-45 and is impressive in its own right.
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