Saturday, December 20, 2008

The Navy's Future Fighter

Northrop Grumman unveils the X-47B UCAS-D air vehicle. (Photograph by Jeff Swann)

The Navy's Fighter-Plane-Size UAV, the X-47B, Is Unveiled In California -- Popular Mechanics -- Popular Mechanics

Yesterday at its Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility, Northrop Grumman unveiled its first completed X-47B Navy Unmanned Combat Air System. This giant UAV could soon be one of the most lethal unmanned aircraft in the U.S. military.

The Navy's latest, biggest and baddest unmanned aerial vehicle has just been unveiled. Yesterday in California, Northrup Grumman showed off a completed X-47B Navy Unmanned Combat Air System, the first of two fighter-plane-size UAVs that the company will produce for the U.S. Navy. The second will follow in 2009. The Navy hopes to start flying the X-47Bs next year. The UAV is expected to have the ability to take off from and land on an aircraft carrier, and the Navy plans to start those trials in 2011.

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