U(C)AV ontwikkelingen

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Northrop Grumman, U.S. Navy Conduct First Catapult Launch of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft

Press Release: Northrop Grumman Corp. – 12 minutes ago

PATUXENT RIVER, Md., Nov. 29, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) and the U.S. Navy have conducted the Navy's first catapult launch of an unmanned system using the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator.

Photos accompanying this release are available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=16009

The test was conducted today at a shore-based catapult facility at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. It marks the first of several shore-based catapult-to-flight tests that will be performed before the Navy's UCAS Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program catapult launches the X-47B from a ship.

Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the UCAS-D program.

"Today's successful launch is another critical milestone in the carrier-suitability testing phase of the UCAS-D program," said Mike Mackey, Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D program director. "It also provides another confidence-building step toward our rendezvous with history next year."

Following the catapult launch, the X-47B conducted a test flight over Chesapeake Bay near Patuxent River. The flight included several maneuvers designed to simulate tasks that the aircraft will have to perform when it lands on a ship, including flying in a typical ship holding pattern, and executing a carrier approach flight profile. The flight also allowed the test team to gather precision navigation data associated with each of those maneuvers.

According to Daryl Martis, Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D flight test director, the catapult event was significant for another reason: "Today's launch provided our team with another opportunity to demonstrate the precision operation of the Northrop Grumman-developed Control Display Unit [CDU], one of the key enablers of future flight deck operations for the X-47B," he said.

The CDU is a wireless, arm-mounted controller that will allow a flight deck operator to control and maneuver the X-47B on the flight deck, including moving it into the catapult, disengaging it from the carrier's arresting wires and moving it quickly out of the landing area.

Over the next few weeks, the UCAS-D program expects to conduct several shore-based catapults at Patuxent River. On Nov. 26, an X-47B was hoisted aboard the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) at Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Va. to begin a series of deck handling trials. The trials, expected to run through mid December, will be used to evaluate the performance of the CDU in an actual carrier environment.

In 2013, the program plans to demonstrate the ability of an X-47B to operate from a Navy aircraft carrier, including launch, recovery and air traffic control operations. The program will also mature technologies required for potential future Navy unmanned air system programs. For the latest X-47B news and information, please visit www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/.

Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D industry team includes Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, GKN Aerospace, Eaton, General Electric, UTC Aerospace Systems, Dell, Honeywell, Moog, Wind River, Parker Aerospace and Rockwell Collins.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/northrop-grumman-u-navy-conduct-223000767.html

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Israel working on low-observable UAV

By:   Zach Rosenberg Washington DC

The Israeli military is developing a large, classified unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with features consistent with stealthy aircraft designs, according to a knowledgable source.

The secret project involves a "fairly large" UAV in development by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the maker of the non-stealthy Heron and Eitan (which is called the Heron TP for export) UAVs, the source says.

Israel has been openly involved with stealth and minimal-detection programmes. Experts familiar with Israeli industry profess little surprise in a low-observable aircraft capability.

"There have been rumours about it, and you see Israeli companies have rolled out an array of products across the spectrum," says a former US government official. "You would expect that stealth is something they'd be interested in, particularly in light of the threats they face."

Israel, a small nation surrounded by largely hostile neighbors, has long placed an emphasis on operating in denied areas with various means. Recent airstrikes thought to involve Israel include a 2007 strike that destroyed a nuclear plant in Syria, and two more recent strikes on targets deep in Sudanese territory. Operations over denied airspace, particularly airspace protected by sophisticated surface-to-air networks, require both stealth and endurance.

"I know that they were working on small and medium-size variants [of stealth aircraft] for some years now," says one industry analyst, who declined to comment on the record. According to the analyst, IAI has been working on stealth technologies since the mid-1990s or earlier.

"You would think from a national security perspective, that they would be willing to put a lot of money on that project," says one current aerospace executive. "They've been pretty evolutionary with the Heron series of UAVs, I could easily see them trying to trick one out, put some [stealthy] materials on."

Israel, long known as a leader in UAV technology, is conspicuously quiet on the subject of stealth. An Israeli stealth UAV would join a long list of unmanned projects designed to evade radar detection. The US has launched several projects including the Northrop Grumman X-47 and the Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel. Meanwhile, acknowledged European projects include the BAE Systems Taranis and Dassault Neuron. Similar projects have also surfaced in Russia and India.

"It would be a logical next step for either an IAI or an Elbit," says an industry analyst. "If you look at the evolution of the species, you've got [BAE] Tyrannis, you've got [Boeing] Phantom Ray, [Northrop Grumman] X-47, you even have the [MiG] Scat system. I would not dismiss it out of hand."

IAI did not immediately respond to questions.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/israel-working-on-low-observable-uav-379564/

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

EU To Complete UAV Air Traffic Roadmap Soon

Nov. 26, 2012   
By JULIAN HALE

BRUSSELS — A European Union roadmap setting out what needs to be done to enable remotely piloted aircraft systems to fly in the same airspace as general air traffic by 2016 is due out by the end of this year.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20121126/DEFREG01/311260010?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[techneut]

Best wel hele enge dingen, carriers voor drones en wat dacht je van onderzeeboten met drones....?

[dudge]

Als je die dingen zo ziet gaan, die phantom ray, X47, nEUROn, Barracuda, skat, dan vraag je je af wat er over 10 jaar in de pijplijn zit.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Turkey begins UAV production

Published: Nov. 20, 2012

ANKARA, Turkey, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Turkey will begin producing indigenous Anka unmanned aerial vehicles next year.

Turkish Defense Industry Ministry spokesman Murad Bayar announced the incipient production, stating that the Turkish army will begin receiving the Anka UAVs in late 2013.

The Anka UAVs are produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc., a Turkish state-owned aviation and aerospace industry company.

Besides the Anka UAVs, TAI also produces F-16 Fighting Falcon jets under license, CN-235 light transport/maritime patrol/surveillance aircraft, SF-260 trainers, Cougar AS-532 search and rescue, combat search and rescue and utility helicopters, Anadolu Ajansi news agency reported.

Since 2004 Turkey has been developing a reconnaissance UAV, with about 180 TAI engineers involved in the project.

Another Turkish UAV project is the Simsek -- "Lightning."

Earlier this month, the Turkish military decided to return three tactical Aerostar UAVs, built by the Israeli company Aeronautics Defense Systems, to Israel alleging substandard performance in the military's campaign against Kurdistan Workers Party insurgents.

© 2012 United Press International, Inc.

[Ace1]

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Northrop Grumman unveils the U.S. Navy's MQ-4C Triton

[dudge]

Of toch maar even wachten tot er een EUropese equivalent beschikbaar komt?!  

2086  

In veel Europese landen lopen projecten om demonstrators te ontwikkelen. En vooral het nEUROn project is breed gedragen en loopt voor zover ik weet best voorspoedig. Als daaruit straks een echte UCAV gaat volgen, planning is in de jaren '20, zit je best netjes. De EADS Talarion zou voor 2020 operationeel moeten komen.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Saudi Interior Ministry, Predator and UAV programme (25 credits)

Posted on: Mon, Nov 19, 2012

The Saudi Interior Ministry is said to be holding contacts with the Americans to acquire unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can fire air-to-ground missiles.

http://www.tacticalreport.com/view_news/Saudi_Interior_Ministry_Predator_and_UAV_programme/3015

[Elzenga]

2086 

...ik heb zo'n licht vermoeden dat dit wel eens veel eerder kan zijn. Er wordt nu hard gewerkt aan een EUropese equivalent. Er is immers een grote markt voor. Zie samenwerking Franse en Britse industrie.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Of toch maar even wachten tot er een EUropese equivalent beschikbaar komt?! 

2086 

[Elzenga]

Of toch maar even wachten tot er een EUropese equivalent beschikbaar komt?! 

[dudge]

De Reaper wordt soms ook wel Predator B genoemd.  Dit is een misleidende naam, want het vliegtuig van het Predator B / Reaper systeem is een compleet ander luchtvaartuig. NL MinDef is niet geinteresseerd in de Predator, maar in de Reaper, want dit UAV systeem voldoet beter aan de gestelde eisen.  Men gaat pas over tot aanschaf, als er voldoende pecunia is vrijgespeeld uit de verkoop van afgestoten materieel.

Of toch maar 1 F35 minder bestellen. Dat schiet al aardig op. In 2008 had je voor 205 miljoen dollar 5 Reapers met 4 grondsystemen.

[Poleme]

Wat gaan wij nu eigenlijk aanschaffen? Ik begreep dat het Predators gaan worden, dan zou heel jammer zijn want ik zie liever Reapers. Maar de Reaper is ook weer een Predator versie dus misschien...

De Reaper wordt soms ook wel Predator B genoemd.  Dit is een misleidende naam, want het vliegtuig van het Predator B / Reaper systeem is een compleet ander luchtvaartuig. NL MinDef is niet geinteresseerd in de Predator, maar in de Reaper, want dit UAV systeem voldoet beter aan de gestelde eisen.  Men gaat pas over tot aanschaf, als er voldoende pecunia is vrijgespeeld uit de verkoop van afgestoten materieel.