U(C)AV ontwikkelingen

Huzaar1 · 17/06/2020 | 22:23 uur

Gaat niet lang meer duren of de drones gaan de bemande toestellen overnemen. Gaat in een sneltreinvlucht.

Sparkplug · 17/06/2020 | 16:09 uur

UK's unmanned Protector gains Brimstones, Paveway IV for ground test

https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/uks-unmanned-protector-gains-brimstones-paveway-iv-for-ground-test/138854.article

Source: Crown Copyright
Ground vibration testing includes inert Brimstone and Paveway IV weapons

Sparkplug · 06/06/2020 | 15:10 uur

Air Force Seeks MQ-9 Replacement By 2031

https://www.airforcemag.com/air-force-seeks-son-of-mq-x-by-2031/

Sparkplug · 06/05/2020 | 09:02 uur

@BoeingAustralia

CitaatWe've unveiled the first of three unmanned #LoyalWingman prototype aircraft with @AusAirForce. This game-changing sovereign capability is made by Australians for global customers. #AirpowerTeaming

Filmpje via de weblink laat de flexible mission payload zien.

https://twitter.com/BoeingAustralia/status/1257491777600225286

Sparkplug · 06/05/2020 | 08:21 uur

Boeing Rolls Out First Loyal Wingman Unmanned Aircraft

Prototype will advance Boeing's global Airpower Teaming System

SYDNEY, May 5, 2020 — A Boeing [NYSE:BA]-led Australian industry team has presented the first unmanned Loyal Wingman aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force, a historic milestone for the company and the Commonwealth.

The aircraft, which uses artificial intelligence to extend the capabilities of manned and unmanned platforms, is the first to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years. It is Boeing's largest investment in an unmanned aircraft outside of the United States.

As the first of three prototypes for Australia's Loyal Wingman Advanced Development Program, the aircraft also serves as the foundation for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS) being developed for the global defense market.

"This is a truly historic moment for our country and for Australian defence innovation," said the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia. "The Loyal Wingman will be pivotal to exploring the critical capabilities our Air Force needs to protect our nation and its allies into the future."

Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force, said the rollout of the first aircraft was a significant milestone in the Boeing Loyal Wingman project.

"This project is an excellent example of innovation through collaboration and what can be achieved working together with defence industry," said Air Marshal Hupfeld. "This demonstrates the importance of the relationship Air Force has with Boeing Australia and defence industry more broadly. I look forward to exploring the capabilities this aircraft may bring to our existing fleet in the future."

More than 35 members of Australian industry are supporting prototype work across four Australian states. With a global market demand for highly capable but extremely affordable unmanned aircraft, Boeing applied company-wide innovation to achieve those goals. The aircraft was engineered using a digital twin to model its structures, systems, capabilities and full life-cycle requirements; manufactured with Boeing's largest-ever resin-infused single composite piece; and assembled using proven advanced manufacturing processes.

"We are proud to take this significant step forward with the Royal Australian Air Force and show the potential for smart unmanned teaming to serve as a force multiplier," said Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Autonomous Systems for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "We look forward to getting the aircraft into flight testing and proving out the unmanned teaming concept. We see global allies with those same mission needs, which is why this program is so important to advancing the development of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System."

The Loyal Wingman prototype now moves into ground testing, followed by taxi and first flight later this year.

For more information about the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, visit https://www.boeing.com/defense/airpower-teaming-system/.

For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

May 4, 2020
Boeing Australia has built the first of three Loyal Wingman aircraft, which will serve as the foundation for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System being developed for the global defense market. The aircraft are designed to fly alongside existing platforms and use artificial intelligence to conduct teaming missions. (Boeing photo)

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2020-05-05-Boeing-rolls-out-first-Loyal-Wingman-unmanned-aircraft#assets_20295_130677-117

Sparkplug · 10/04/2020 | 13:07 uur

Boeing's Loyal Wingman Program Achieves 'Weight on Wheels' Milestone

Australia, April 9, 2020 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] Australia recently achieved two more milestones on the Royal Australian Air Force's Loyal Wingman – Advanced Development Program: weight on wheels and aircraft power on.

The development milestones for the unmanned aircraft come just weeks after completion of the first fuselage, allowing for rapid progress on systems installation and functional and integration testing from the aircraft's own landing gear.

"We're continuing at pace toward our goal of flying later this year, so that we can show our customer and the world what unmanned capability like this can do," said Dr. Shane Arnott, program director of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System. "The strong contributions from our industry team are powering our progress."

Apr 8, 2020
Boeing Australia recently achieved two more milestones on the Royal Australian Air Force's Loyal Wingman – Advanced Development Program: weight on wheels and aircraft power on. (Boeing photo)

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2020-04-08-Boeings-Loyal-Wingman-program-achieves-Weight-on-Wheels-milestone#assets_20295_130659-117

Sparkplug · 02/04/2020 | 13:37 uur

GA-ASI Completes First Production-Representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian

SAN DIEGO – 31 March 2020 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has completed the first production-representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). First flight of this aircraft took place on March 30, 2020 at GA-ASI's Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, California.

"With first flight of the production-representative aircraft, we remain on schedule for delivering MQ-9B Protector to the RAF," said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. Protector RG Mk1 is being procured for the UK Royal Air Force's configuration of SkyGuardian. "Protector revolutionizes the long-endurance RPA market by providing true all-weather capability, and NATO-standard Type-Certification to enable flexible operations in civil airspace," said Blue.

The new SkyGuardian, known within GA-ASI as BC03, is a company aircraft that is being utilized for ground and flight testing to collect airworthiness certification data starting with flight loads and aircraft performance testing. The results from the tests will form the Type Certification Exposition needed to achieve the Military Type Certificate for the Protector platform.

"As the lead customer, we are tracking all of the important developments of this ground-breaking, remotely-piloted aircraft," said RAF Group Captain Shaun Gee, Protector RG Mk1 Programme Director. "The Military Type Certificate is a particularly important milestone because it's a foundational step towards the Protector RPA being approved to fly in unsegregated airspace."

The multi-mission MQ-9B is built for all-weather performance with lightning protection, damage tolerance, and a de-icing system. SkyGuardian, as well as the maritime SeaGuardian®, features a GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid System (DAAS).

According to GA-ASI President David R. Alexander, BC03 will be followed by BC04 (also known as UK1), which will be the first Protector aircraft to be delivered to the RAF. "Production has already begun on BC04 and prior to delivery, it will be used for Combined System Test and weapons testing," said Alexander.

In addition to the RAF, MQ-9B has been selected by the Australian Government for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under Project Air 7003. The Government of Belgium has also approved Belgian Defense to negotiate the acquisition of GA-ASI's MQ-9B.

http://www.ga-asi.com/ga-asi-completes-first-production-representative-mq-9b-skyguardian

Sparkplug · 27/02/2020 | 09:50 uur

Abrupt End to MQ-9 Production Surprises General Atomics

https://www.airforcemag.com/abrupt-end-to-mq-9-production-surprises-general-atomics/

Sparkplug · 28/01/2020 | 10:20 uur

Germany walks away from $2.5 billion purchase of US Navy's Triton spy drones

https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2020/01/28/germany-walks-away-from-25-billion-purchase-of-us-navys-triton-spy-drones/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=Socialflow+DFN

Harald · 23/01/2020 | 08:52 uur

Gray Eagle ER begins new flight demo campaign

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has begun a series of internally-funded multi-domain operations (MDO) demonstrations of the Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) UAS.

The flight series are being carried out throughout 2020 to demonstrate that a GE-ER equipped with long-range sensors and air launched effects (ALE) is able to detect, identify, locate and report targetable data to support long range precision fires systems (LRPF).

During the first flight, Gray Eagle was equipped with the Lynx Block 30A Long Range Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI). The UAS was able to detect military targets out to a range of 75km. The Lynx SAR imagery produces precise coordinates with every image, cueing to aviation assets or enabling direct engagement with LRPF. With modes for GMTI, dismount detection on the dismount moving target indicator, maritime detection and maritime identification with inverse SAR, the Lynx payload supports operations over land or sea in the Pacific and European theatres.

Demonstrations planned in 2020 include integration of additional long range and MDO relevant sensors, communications packages, and launching ALE from the aircraft. Serving as an ALE mothership, the GE-ER will carry multiple ALEs with a variety of capabilities. The launch and control of ALEs from GE-ER could potentially increase the survivability and effectiveness of current and future manned aviation systems with intelligence, targeting, communications, jammers, decoys and kinetic effects.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/uv-online/gray-eagle-er-begins-new-flight-demo-campaign/

Harald · 17/01/2020 | 11:30 uur

Sierra Technical unveils 'faster' and 'more manoeuvrable' stealth UAV

Sierra Technical Services recently completed several ground tests, including an engine test run, on its Fifth Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) aircraft.

The aircraft, which is powered by two General Electric J85 engines salvaged from retired Northrop T-38 Talon trainer jets, is intended to be used as a stealth target drone for the US Air Force (USAF) to shoot down.

"We ran both engines all the way to [military] power at the same time," says Roger Hayes, president and co-owner of Sierra Technical. "We tested out our flight controls – elevons and rudders – and everything worked well."

The unmanned air vehicle (UAV) should be ready for its first test flight during the first quarter of 2020, says Hayes.

However, because the 5GAT is inherently low-cost – estimated by Sierra Technical to be less than $10 million per production copy – and has a low-observable shape the company is also openly pitching it as an "attritable" Loyal Wingman stealth aircraft.

Attritable aircraft are a new concept in aerial warfare: UAVs so cheap that combat losses won't break the bank. For example, the USAF's Loyal Wingman programme is aimed at developing buddy attritable aircraft for its fleet of manned fighters, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. It could be asked to take on dangerous tasks or might operate as a robotic scout.

Sierra Technical believes its 5GAT has abilities that would give it advantages over Kratos Defense's XQ-58A Valkerie, a pioneering attritable UAV built in collaboration with the US Air Force Research Laboratory.

"It will be able to fly faster than an XQ-58 Valkyrie. It will be able to be more manoeuvrable than an XQ-58 Valkyrie as well," says Hayes. "We believe that it has a high potential of solving some of the Loyal Wingman requirements, once they're defined [by the US Air Force]."

In particular, the 5GAT's two J85 engines give it the ability to fly high-subsonic speeds.

"We're going to limit it to high-subsonic," says Hayes. "It would probably go supersonic without much trouble, but none of the structure was analysed or designed for supersonic [flight], nor were the inlet lips."

The 5GAT was commissioned as a stealth target aircraft by the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), and supersonic flight was not part of its mission requirements, explains Hayes. It is designed to be a disposable stealth aircraft for mock air combat, and a sparring partner that helps combat pilots learn how to shoot down stealth aircraft, such as Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 or China's Chengdu J-20.

DOT&E paid for the aircraft to be designed, built and flown after the USAF and US Navy initially declined to build stealth targets of their own. However, the USAF last year released a request for information for its own Next-Generation Aerial Target, a stealth target programme which might replace the DOT&E's effort.

In addition to being stealthy, Hayes says the aircraft can manoeuvre at +7.5g and -2g for short periods.

"However, it cannot sustain +7.5g or -2g. The aircraft will bleed off energy very quickly due to limitation of the thrust from these engines," says Hayes. "We can make 7.5g turns, but not sustain them for very long – that is basically a typical operational scenario."

The 5GAT can carry weapons on external pylons, though it doesn't have provisions for an internal weapons bay, a capability that would require a substantial redesign.

"But, we can carry all kinds of electronics, artificial intelligence gear, [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] equipment," says Hayes.

Hayes declines to make a detailed comparison of the XQ-58 and the 5GAT. That's because Sierra Technical helped design the XQ-58A and he says it would be a conflict of interest to disclose that information.

Hayes notes that competing with a business partner on a separate product line happens frequently in the US defence industry. "You know, it's strange bedfellows, but it's common in the industry," he says.

Because of the wide variety of Loyal Wingman applications, from air combat to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles, Hayes says he believes there is room for both aircraft.

"For the Loyal Wingman there are certain aspects that we believe that the 5GAT or a derivative of the 5GAT would be very suitable, even more suitable in some cases then the Valkyrie," he says "And then, there are many cases where the Valkyrie would be more suitable than the 5GAT derivative."

https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/sierra-technical-unveils-faster-and-more-manoeuvrable-stealth-uav/136192.article

Sparkplug · 23/12/2019 | 09:44 uur

@Rotorfocus (Tony Osborne)

CitaatFrance's @Armee_de_lair has become the third MQ-9 #Reaper operating nation to arm the aircraft, equipping the Block 1 aircraft operating in the Sahel region with GBU-12 bomb. Block 5 Reapers will get Hellfire and GBU-49 later. #Barkhane