Predator C flies for the first time

[fatman17]

Predator C flies for the first time

Caitlin Harrington JDW Staff Reporter - Washington, DC

Key Points
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems flew the Predator C, a jet-powered unmanned aircraft that may have stealth characteristics, in early April

US lawmakers are already attempting to allocate funds for the new unmanned aircraft


The Predator C unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a jet-powered successor to the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, flew for the first time in early April, according to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) spokeswoman Kimberly Kasitz.

She said GA-ASI could not release further details at this time.

However Chris Ames, director of GA-ASI's Business Development Aircraft Systems Group, told Jane's on 30 May 2008 that the new unmanned aircraft would "fly higher, faster and stealthier".

The US Air Force is seeking a new unmanned aircraft to replace the Predator but it is unclear when the acquisition process will begin.

GA-ASI, which is headquartered in San Diego, California, has sought support for Predator C acquisition from Republican Representative Brian Bilbray, a California congressman who requested an earmark of USD26 million in the next US defence appropriations bill. Bilbray said in a 3 April release that he made the request at the behest of GA-ASI with the support of General David D McKiernan, Commander of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander of US Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A).

Representative Duncan Hunter, also a California Republican, has supported Bilbray's request, according to media reports.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called for the fielding and sustaining of 50 Predator and Reaper-class UAV orbits by Fiscal Year 2011 and also for maximising their production during a 6 April press conference on his 2010 budget recommendations.

 

[saiko]

this thing is awesome - it can carry 500lb JDAMs in the internal weapons bay.

 

[Tang0]

Well this is a surprise! I'm in Areospace (Nothing secret, sorry) , and all I have heard from the people in the UCAV business (Which again, ain't much because of NDA's) is that the Air Force and Navy are extremely reluctant to pursue any significant technological advancement in the UCAV department. DARPA pumped 750$ million into the project just to have the air force drop it in favor of a new strategic bombing platform. Cause ya know, there is all type of clamor for that....

I certainly understand their reluctance, it would eventually turn the Air Force into a literal "Chair Force" of specialized technicians. If I had to guess, someone on the Joint Chiefs or in congress shoved this down the air force's throat.

Course, the fact of the matter is that if UAV technology was seriously investigated starting back in the 70's, when the technology first appeared, the air battlefield would be a very different place. Dealing with a bag of meat in the cockpit has been more trouble than it was worth for many years, but the old guard holds the purse strings...

Now, I admit my statements are a bit of hyperbole, and there will always be human pilots for contingency and accountability purposes, but the pigheadedness of the top brass is occasionally obnoxious.

 

[My Pakistan]

i do not think so that predator has any stealth properties its just a prototype that is being made to test unmanned jets thats it

 

[Oldman1]

i do not think so that predator has any stealth properties its just a prototype that is being made to test unmanned jets thats it

Yes it does have stealth.

General Atomics Avenger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Mosamania]

These things will soon replace the pilot. Which is a very scary thing to any Air Force. Already some of the strike capabilities of the USAF has been taken over by the Predator drone.

With Drone capable of intercepting jets and missiles it is a huuuuge advancement int he area but a hige cut back for pilots who will only be sitting for emergency roles. Which is if i was a pilot would be daunting. A robot taking over my job.

 

[Thomas]

Good looking UAV

Lockheed martin is working with General Atomics to integrate the EOTS into it.

 

[Mosamania]

The way this door opens its containers have striking resemblance to the way the F-35 opens its pay load decks if i am not mistaken correct?

 

[Thomas]

The way this door opens its containers have striking resemblance to the way the F-35 opens its pay load decks if i am not mistaken correct?

I wouldnt go by the EOTS pic. I was simply giving a close up of EOTS. The actual pic could be from a f-35.

 

[Mosamania]

I wouldnt go by the EOTS pic. I was simply giving a close up of EOTS. The actual pic could be from a f-35.

Looking back and studying the Pic more carefully yeah it looks it is most likely from an F-35. I still don't understand though is why the 84 F-15SAs and not this. ah well.

 

[Thomas]

People need to keep in mind that there is more then one variant of the Predator C. General Atomics says that they have a customer for a high altitude surveillance model right now which would not have EOTS.

 

[Mosamania]

People need to keep in mind that there is more then one variant of the Predator C. General Atomics says that they have a customer for a high altitude surveillance model right now which would not have EOTS.

As Much as we have a reputation of being the customer of everything I don't think its going to be us. We are developing our own UAVs since the US put so many deadlocks on it. So we are setting up the whole thing from sats to Technicians. Actually I hope they go through with the indigenous production all the way through we have some prototypes here and there some made first flights last year and a couple of months ago. But I don't think any of those will be equipped with missiles. Not anytime soon anyways.

 

[pmukherjee]

i do not think so that predator has any stealth properties its just a prototype that is being made to test unmanned jets thats it

This is simply too inadequate for a next gen air dominance / sixth gen unmanned jet fighter. Though the lines have begun to blur somewhat. IMO, those are separate programmes, not much is heard of them but I believe, their development is already underway.

 

[Thomas]

This is simply too inadequate for a next gen air dominance / sixth gen unmanned jet fighter. Though the lines have begun to blur somewhat. IMO, those are separate programmes, not much is heard of them but I believe, their development is already underway.

they are looking at it as a relacement to the Predator/Reaper it is not a fighter.

 

[pmukherjee]

they are looking at it as a relacement to the Predator/Reaper it is not a fighter.

I know they are, I was responding to another member's post.