Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

U.S. Navy Seeks ISR, Strike UAVs
Aviation Week and Space Technology ^ | 3/29/2010 | Guy Norris

Posted on 03/30/2010 9:50:20 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld

Industry players have until early May to respond to a U.S. Navy request for information (RFI) for a carrier-based, stealthy, unmanned, strike and surveillance system capable of integrating with manned aircraft as part of a carrier air wing by 2018.

The unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike (Uclass) RFI calls for a notional system made up of 4-6 autonomously launched and recoverable vehicles to operate in “irregular and hybrid warfare scenarios.” The system must be able to operate from CVN-68 and -78-class carriers, and be capable of being directed from both carrier- and shore-based mission control stations. The stealthy UAV must be able to receive fuel from hose-and-drogue Navy-style tankers as well as from probe-equipped U.S. Air Force tankers.

Despite the air-to-air refueling option, the Uclass unrefueled mission endurance will be at least 11-14 hr., with inclusion of an “appropriate” reserve fuel quantity. The aircraft should also be capable of using “lethal precision weapons to suppress, defeat, destroy, deceive or influence a range of enemy targets,” and will likely be configured with folding wings and tie-down points. The RFI also holds the door open for other fixed-wing configurations, but essentially paints a picture of something closely resembling potentially larger versions of the Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrator, or the recently unveiled Boeing Phantom Ray or General Atomics’ Avenger.

(Excerpt) Read more at aviationweek.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aerospace; aircraftcarriers; cvn68; navair; ucas; usnavy; x47b

1 posted on 03/30/2010 9:50:20 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: sonofstrangelove
Didn't they already do that in Stealth?
2 posted on 03/30/2010 9:59:05 PM PDT by Lancer_N3502A
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sonofstrangelove

sweet!


3 posted on 03/30/2010 10:10:41 PM PDT by Peanut Gallery (The essence of freedom is the proper limitation of government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson