Any insight you might offer on this?
Boeing Receives First Engines for X-45C Unmanned Combat Aircraft
ST. LOUIS, November 18, 2004 - The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Company accepted the first two engines for the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) X-45C aircraft program Nov. 10 in a ceremony held at a General Electric plant in Lynn, Mass.
Boeing is building three X-45C aircraft in St. Louis as part of the J-UCAS program. Each of the aircraft will be powered by a single F404 engine.
"With the F404 engine, the X-45C will be able to fly a combat radius of more than 1,200 nautical miles, cruise at 0.80 Mach, reach altitudes of 40,000 feet and carry a 4,500 pound weapon payload," said Darryl Davis, Boeing J-UCAS X-45 vice president and program manager. "With that range, speed, and lethality, this unmanned system is truly revolutionary."
The first X-45C flight is scheduled for early 2007, with the initiation of an operational assessment by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy beginning that same year. The assessment will culminate in a demonstration of the capabilities of the J-UCAS system and the X-45's ability to conduct suppression of enemy air defenses; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and strike missions.
The X-45C will be 39-feet long with a 49-foot wingspan. It is designed to be a highly-survivable weapons system that will include advanced sensors and a robust communication system demonstrating advanced target detection and engagement capabilities.
The J-UCAS X-45 program is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)/U.S. Air Force/U.S. Navy/Boeing effort to demonstrate the technical feasibility, military utility and operational value of an unmanned air combat system for the Services.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis , Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $27 billion business. It provides network-centric systems 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 and Department of Homeland Security; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in launch services.
Fine new technology.
J-UCAV is a great step in unmanned systems. Phantom Works at Boeing (in IDS) is the technology lead.
It will be best used as a strike platform, not a fighter. It will be sent on missions to destroy high-value targets that are heavily defended. . .thereby saving crews for more fluid situations and less tricky targets.
Programmable and with a "smart" ability to operate independently make this a very versatile system. It may also be programmed in flight. . .another great leap.
Like the system but do not see for generations to come any threat to manned systems.
As I've said before, until you can field an unmanned tank that is able to operate easily in a 2-D, 1-G, 20 knot ground environment, there is not much to worry about when it comes to fielding a unmanned aircraft operating in a 3-D, multi-G, hyper-sonic, multi-threat environment.
Learn to crawl first, then run.