U(C)AV ontwikkelingen

Gestart door Elzenga, 29/10/2011 | 19:50 uur

Harald

Drones at sea: GA counts down to UK Mojave aircraft carrier trial next month

"The intent is to launch the [Mojave] aircraft from the aircraft carrier and if conditions are suitable, we'll look at recovering it," said Jaime Walters, vice president of international strategic development at GA-ASI.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) wants to use a forthcoming Mojave short take-off and landing (STOL) UAV demonstrator trial off UK aircraft carrier Prince of Wales to shape development of a MQ-9B STOL configuration program.

As part of a four-month deployment by the warship to the eastern US seaboard, designed to mature operations with drones, fighter jets, helicopters and tiltrotors, Mojave for the first time will take-off and attempt to land on the vessel's 901-foot-long deck, weather permitting.

"The intent is to launch the [Mojave] aircraft from the aircraft carrier and if conditions are suitable, we'll look at recovering it," said Jaime Walters, vice president of international strategic development at GA-ASI. "This is an experimentation so we don't want to push the envelope too hard. We think this will really be the kick starter to a future MQ-9B STOL configuration and development program."

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https://breakingdefense.com/2023/10/drones-at-sea-ga-counts-down-to-uk-mojave-aircraft-carrier-trial-next-month/

Harald

T-600 Drone Deploys Sting Ray Lightweight Torpedo

BAE Systems and Malloy Aeronautics have demonstrated the capabilities of the T-600 heavy lift uncrewed air system (UAS) during a large NATO exercise in Portugal to integrate the very latest maritime technologies across allied forces.





BAE Systems press release

The T-600 is an electric-powered demonstrator aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing, can carry a payload of 200kg and can travel at up to 140km/h. It also has a range of up to 80km depending on payload. It is around the size of a small car and is designed to be easily disassembled for transportation. During the multinational exercise, the demonstrator successfully released an inert Sting Ray training variant anti-submarine torpedo during a flight mission at sea for the first time.

The exercise known as REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Uncrewed Systems) involved 15 NATO partners, along with Ireland and Sweden. It provides a safe and controlled area to test concepts, requirements, new and advancing technologies in respect of Maritime Uncrewed Systems.

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https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/09/t-600-drone-deploys-sting-ray-lightweight-torpedo/#prettyPhoto


https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/t-600-electric-uncrewed-demonstrator-aircraft-achieves-significant-milestone-at-nato-exercise?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=baesystemsair&utm_campaign=SocialCT&utm_content=Post&utm_term=b64984b8-1bc1-44e8-97c3-b19a8759600d

Harald

Army picks Griffon, Textron to proceed with RQ-7B Shadow replacement competition

Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems have been selected to move ahead with the second phase of the Army's Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (FTUAS) Increment 2 competition, the service announced today.


The Griffon Aerospace Valiant (shown above) and Textron Systems' Aerosonde are proceeding onward for the Army's FTUAS Increment 2 competition.

After selecting five companies for the first phase of its RQ-7B Shadow replacement completion earlier this year, the Army evaluated "submissions against requirements of performance, Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), cost, schedule, risk... and Army priorities" before conducting a preliminary design review, the Army wrote. Ultimately, it opted to cut AeroVironment, Northrop Grumman and Sierra Nevada Corporation from the next competition phase, and only award Griffon and Textron with deals for the Increment 2 of the program, which starts today.

"During this period, the Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Project Management Office will continue to evaluate project agreement holders' weapon system designs leading to a critical design review, which will establish the final system design and initial product baseline," the Army said.

After that critical design review, there are additional agreement options covering flight demonstrations and MOSA verification before the duo deliver production representative FTUAS for developmental testing and operational demonstrations, to include soldier touch points.

"These systems will undergo numerous evaluation activities such as environmental testing, electromagnetic environmental effects testing, transportability testing, MOSA verification, flight testing, and technical manual verification," the Army said. The ultimate goal, it added, is to field a new unmanned aircraft fleet with increased maneuverability, enhanced command and control, a reduced logistics footprint, and is less noisy.

Textron Systems is offering its Aerosonde UAV for this phase of the FTUAS program, while Griffon is offering up its Valiant, according to previous Army pictures.

Meanwhile, the Army's to pare down the field to these two contenders means AeroVironment's interim solution, the Jump 20, is out. Last year the service awarded the company with a $8 million contract to buy one Jump 20 system, which includes six air vehicles, ground data terminals and ground control stations. The Pentagon also announced plans to send that unmanned system to Ukraine.

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/09/army-picks-griffon-textron-to-proceed-with-rq-7b-shadow-replacement-competition/

Harald

Our First Look At Boeing's Pre-Production MQ-25 Stingray

The new video shows the MQ-25 airframe moving from the production line to static testing at Boeing's St. Louis plant.



Boeing has provided visuals of its first pre-production example of the MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone, which the company is currently developing for the U.S. Navy. Up to this point, the MQ-25 demonstrator — which is also known as the T1 — has been the public 'face' of the Stingray program. Although Boeing does describe the airframe as a real MQ-25, we do not know for sure what the plan for this particular example is.

In a video released by Boeing today, we see the main fuselage of the pre-production MQ-25 being moved off the production line at Boeing's St. Louis plant to its static testing space. Static testing allows engineers to analyze the structural integrity of an airframe without flying it.

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https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/our-first-look-at-boeings-pre-production-mq-25-stingray

Harald

#566
https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/dsei-2023/2023/09/royal-navy-uas-trial-demonstrates-carrier-operations-capability/

Royal Navy UAS Trial Demonstrates Carrier Operations Capability

The UK Royal Navy (RN) has flown an uncrewed air system (UAS) onto and off an aircraft carrier for the first time. The successful trial demonstrated new capability for the navy and a new approach to procurement.

UAS trials reflects Royal Navy's focus on new procurement approaches

The UAS – developed and built by W Autonomous Systems (WAS) – flew from Predannack airfield (part of Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose) on Lizard Peninsula, southwest UK, to the Queen Elizabeth-class carrier HMS Prince of Wales, operating offshore. The UAS delivered its payload, and returned to Predannack.

The WAS HCMC twin-engine heavy-lift UAS can carry a 100 kg payload at ranges up to 1,000 km. To launch and land, it needs a 150 m runway, which will be found at a shore base or onboard a carrier. Its flight operations are supported by an autopilot system.

In an 8 September press statement, the RN noted that its UAS capability development programme has twin aims: developing capacity to re-supply carriers at sea with food, spares, and other stores, without using crewed helicopters; and taking initial steps in building safe integration when operating uncrewed aircraft from RN platforms that also operate crewed aircraft.

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Sparkplug

LongShot Air-To-Air Combat Drone Bid Won By General Atomics

The LongShot program is centered on developing an air-to-air missile-armed drone that fighters and bombers can launch and control.

byJoseph Trevithick| PUBLISHED Sep 7, 2023 9:17 PM EDT


GA-ASI

he U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has picked General Atomics to build an air-launchable uncrewed aircraft capable of firing air-to-air missiles as part of its LongShot program. General Atomics says that it hopes to begin flight testing this drone, which could give fighters and bombers new flexibility to engage aerial threats across longer distances, before the end of the year.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) revealed its selection as the sole awardee for the next phase of the LongShot program late this evening. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced that it awarded its first round of LongShot contracts to General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, back in 2021, but work on the project had actually begun the previous year.

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https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/longshot-air-to-air-combat-drone-bid-won-by-general-atomics
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

silvester herc


Harald

India confirms AoN to acquire 31 MQ-9Bs



The Indian government has accorded an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9B high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS).

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 25 June that the country's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had accorded the AoN on 15 June to acquire 31 MQ-9Bs for the three services of the military. According to the statement, 16 of the aircraft to be acquired are SkyGuardians and 15 are SeaGuardians. The announcement was made via state-owned information network Press Information Bureau (PIB).

Janes understands that the acquisition will provide the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force with eight SkyGuardians each. The Indian Navy is to operate all 15 SeaGuardians.

The aircraft are to be acquired through a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, the MoD said. The AoN also includes associated equipment acquisitions. According to the MoD, the US government has cited an estimated price of USD3.072 billion for the aircraft and equipment.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/defence/latest/india-confirms-aon-to-acquire-31-mq-9bs

Ace1


Ace1

#561

Ace1

Rheinmetall Unveils Multi-Purpose ?Game Changer? Drone



Rheinmetall recently unveiled a multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with reconnaissance and combat features.

The Rheinmetall Combat Drone is based on the German arms maker?s Luna NG reconnaissance drone and can carry the Hero-R type loitering munition.

?The Rheinmetall Combat Drone is the game changer for protecting your troops and fighting tactically relevant targets,? the company stated.

?Effectors as payloads transform the multipurpose drone from a sensor-to-shooter system into a highly efficient means of reconnaissance with com/network relay and SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) capabilities.?

Based on Luna NG
The NG is the latest in the Luna family of reconnaissance drones, with an endurance of 12 hours and a data link range of 100 kilometers (62 miles). Satellite Communication would provide it with increased range.

The robust fiberglass composite drone has a take-off weight of 40 kilograms (88 pounds) and a service ceiling of 5,000 meters (16,404 feet).

The runway-independent vehicle can be launched with a rope hoist catapult and landed with a parachute and has stealth features with low acoustic, thermal, and radar signatures.

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/04/20/rheinmetall-game-changer-drone/


Sparkplug

Citaat van: marineschepen.nl op 31/05/2023 | 11:36 uur
Tests met drones vanaf Britse vliegdekschip gepland  ( interessante ontwikkelingen ! )

De Amerikaanse vliegtuigbouwer General Atomics zal vanaf een Brits vliegkampschip tests gaan uitvoeren om met drones te vliegen. De intentie voor het gunnen van een contract aan General Atomics maakte de Britse marine onlangs bekend. General Atomics is bezig met het project Mojave, een drone voor een korte start- en landingsbaan.

https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Tests-vanaf-Brits-vliegdekschip-met-drones-310523.html

Zat ruimte op het vliegdek van de Queen Elizabeth-klasse. De spanwijdte van de Mojave is ook ingekort t.o.v. de MQ-9B (16 meter om 24 meter). De Mojave is ongeveer net zo breed als een Fairey Gannet.


Illustratie van een Mojave, landend op een carrier. De wingspan van de Mojave is 16 meter. (Foto: General Atomics)
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Harald

Tests met drones vanaf Britse vliegdekschip gepland  ( interessante ontwikkelingen ! )

De Amerikaanse vliegtuigbouwer General Atomics zal vanaf een Brits vliegkampschip tests gaan uitvoeren om met drones te vliegen. De intentie voor het gunnen van een contract aan General Atomics maakte de Britse marine onlangs bekend. General Atomics is bezig met het project Mojave, een drone voor een korte start- en landingsbaan.

https://marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Tests-vanaf-Brits-vliegdekschip-met-drones-310523.html

Harald

New Kit Will Allow MQ-9 Reaper To Fly From Navy Flattops

A STOL MQ-9 has the potential to provide persistent eyes in the sky for big deck amphibious assault ships, carriers, and Marines operating from austere locations.



https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/new-kit-will-allow-mq-9-reaper-to-fly-from-navy-flattops