Boeing, Northrop craft plans changed

http://www.avpress.com/n/22/0322_s6.hts ^ | March 22, 2006 | ALLISON GATLIN

[BenLurkin]

The Pentagon's plans for developing and eventually fielding unmanned aircraft capable of delivering munitions in high-risk battle scenarios once again are undergoing a structural change.

What once was known as the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems, or J-UCAS, program is shifting from a joint Air Force and Navy program to one led solely by the Navy.

The program is intended to develop and test the technologies necessary to field fleets of unmanned aircraft capable of operating on their own to attack and shut down enemy air defenses.

Created in 2003, the original program merged the separate efforts of the Air Force and Navy to develop their own unmanned weapons systems into one joint-service effort under the management of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA.

That joint agency already was a partner in both unmanned combat aerial vehicle programs.

This time the intent is focusing on technologies and capabilities not yet demonstrated by the J-UCAS program, according to Pentagon officials.

The new effort will focus on demonstrations of aircraft carrier operations, suitability of a low-observable naval unmanned combat air system, demonstrations of automated air refueling technology and advancement of long-range strike capability, officials said.

The Pentagon's proposed budget for fiscal year 2007 includes nearly $240 million for the Navy's program to develop an unmanned combat air system, but no funds for such for the Air Force.

Twin X-45A aircraft completed a successful flight test program for the Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base last year, demonstrating precision weapon drops, multi-ship coordinated flight and collaborative targeting technologies.

Boeing was building a larger X-45C aircraft for further testing for the Air Force. The first of the aircraft was to be delivered to the company's Palmdale facility this spring for final assembly, with flight tests scheduled for 2007.