First Flight Of Second Unmanned Aircraft Adds Momentum,
Flexibility To Flight Test Program
Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Navy will be able to
increase the pace and productivity of the X-47B flight test program
following the successful first flight Nov. 22 of the second air
vehicle developed for the Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier
Demonstration (UCAS-D) program.
The tailless, autonomous aircraft known as Air Vehicle 2 (AV-2)
took off under hazy skies from Edwards Air Force Base at 1243 PST,
climbed rapidly to an altitude of 5,000 feet, flew several
racetrack patterns over Rogers Dry Lake, then landed safely at
1312.
"The successful addition of AV-2 to the fleet of X-47B test
aircraft provides a critical inflection point for the UCAS-D
program," said Carl Johnson, vice president and UCAS-D program
manager for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "With two
aircraft now available, we can increase the amount of aircraft
performance data we gather, which will allow us to meet our
required aircraft capability demonstration goals in a timely
manner."
The availability of two test aircraft is particularly important,
added Johnson, for helping the program maintain a satisfactory
flight test rhythm as it begins transitioning X-47B aircraft to
Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, (Pax River) for shore-based
carrier suitability testing. While one aircraft is being moved to
Pax River – expected to occur by the end of 2011 – the
other one will continue envelope expansion flight testing at
Edwards.
The testing at Pax River is scheduled to begin in early 2012. It
will include testing the X-47B's ability to conduct precision
approaches to the carrier, and to perform arrested landings and
"roll-out" catapult launches at land-based test facilities. The
testing will also include flight testing precision navigation
computers and new guidance, navigation and control software
recently installed on both aircraft. The new suite of hardware and
software will enable the X-47B to make precision landings on a
moving carrier deck.
The X-47B is a computer-controlled unmanned aircraft system that
takes off, flies a preprogrammed mission, and then returns to base
– all in response to mouse clicks from a mission operator.
The operator actively monitors the X-47B air vehicle's operation
using simple situational awareness displays, but does not fly it
via remote control, as some unmanned systems are operated.