Posted on 07/10/2013 11:12:31 AM PDT by Daus
USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH, at sea (NNS) --
The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator completed its first-ever carrier-based arrested landing on board USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia July 10.
"By evolving and integrating new technology like the X-47B and the unmanned aircraft to follow, carriers will remain relevant throughout their 50-year lifespan," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.
Today's demonstration was the first time a tailless, unmanned autonomous aircraft landed on a modern aircraft carrier.
This test marks an historic event for naval aviation that Navy leaders believe will impact the way the Navy integrates manned and unmanned aircraft on the carrier flight deck in the future.
In May 2013, the X-47B successfully completed underway carrier deck operations aboard USS George H. W. Bush to include a first-ever catapult launch and nine touch-and-gos.
"We have certainly come a long way in the 102 years since Eugene Ely made the first arrested landing aboard an aircraft carrier. Naval aviators have always been at the forefront of operational and tactical innovation, and today was no exception," said Mabus. "People make unmanned aviation possible and it is people who will provide the fresh thinking and new ideas so crucial to successes like the X-47B program and the unmanned aircraft of the future."
The Navy will continue to update this story as more information from today's demonstration is made available.
Ping
I was wondering where someone got a B-47 to test.
Time to build a bunch of escort carrier-sized drone platforms.
We won’t.
China, India, Russia and France may.
Well, maybe not France...
Drones will be the death of us. No place to hide when the SHTF.
Northrop Grumman BUMP!
"Do you like surprises, Ben?"
Looks like something out of the movie Stealth.
It’s effectively a robocop.
Pretty much seeing the last or next to last generation of manned aircraft in the F 22, F 35.....
If it does, I’m sure the 3 AM phone call to the White Hut will go unanswered...
Me too. This looks like a Skynet workhorse.
Imagine war when it is just geeks and their toys bombing the rest of us. The world will be their video game.
Big step if we can build 300 of them. Don’t have to worry about G Forces. Initial swarm to kill radar and kick the door in.
The warafter that one will resemble a game of risk, horses and all.....
Drones will be the death of us. No place to hide when the SHTF.
You’re right. And they’ll just say “Old Fred’s house had a gas leak and blew up in the middle of the night”.
I am sure the large powers will figure a way to counter them—cut the radio link or knock out the feeds in some way or take them over like Iran did to our drone. We need a new warship—drone carriers. Smaller and designed to use them and helicopters.
Heck, even Kara Hultgren managed to get it on the deck a few times.
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