Northrop Grumman’s X-47B unmanned combat air system has been delivered to the US Navy following a year of testing.
The US Naval Air Systems Command said the aircraft — the first fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system designed for use from an aircraft carrier — was tested at Edwards Air Force Base in California and then trucked to the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River, Md.
“The transition to Pax River is a highlight for the programme,” said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, Navy UCAS programme manager. “We are working toward demonstrating the aircraft’s ability to operate on and around an aircraft carrier.”
The X-47B is 38.2 feet long and has a wingspan of 62.1 feet. It is powered by a Pratt and Whitney engine, cruises at subsonic speed, has a range of 2,100 nautical miles and can fly as high as 40,000 feet.
The Navy said that the aircraft will undergo carrier suitability testing, including use with catapult and arresting gear.
Source: UPI