X-47B Completes First-Ever Carrier-Based Arrested Landing

Audio · Jul 10, 2013

USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH, at sea (NNS) -- The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator completed its first-ever carrier-based arrested landing on board USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia July 10.
Today's demonstration was the first time a tailless, unmanned autonomous aircraft landed on a modern aircraft carrier.
In May 2013, the X-47B successfully completed underway carrier deck operations aboard USS George H. W. Bush to include a first-ever catapult launch and nine touch-and-gos.

The Navy will continue to update this story as more information from today's demonstration is made available.

X-47B Completes First-Ever Carrier-Based Arrested Landing

No pics.... :confused:

nomi007 · Jul 10, 2013

Alienware · Jul 11, 2013

Excellent display of military technology and a sign of things to come indeed. Any word on the British BAE Taranis yet? Last I heard it was ready for its first official test fights down in Australia.

USA, Britain and France are clearly leading the way in UCAV technology. Asia still has a long game of catch-up still ahead of it.

Audio · Jul 11, 2013

Alienware said:
Excellent display of military technology and a sign of things to come indeed. Any word on the British BAE Taranis yet? Last I heard it was ready for its first official test fights down in Australia.

USA and Britain are clearly leading the way in UCAV technology. Asia still has a long game of catch-up still ahead of it.

Taranis should start test flights sometime soon according to predictions, Neuron is flying from December last year i think.

Alienware · Jul 11, 2013

Audio said:
Taranis should start test flights sometime soon according to predictions, Neuron is flying from December last year i think.

Yes Neuron. Not a fan of it to be honest. Initial specifications are not too impressive. X 47B is overall the most mature design, however the BAE Taranis has a "classified supersonic speed", beating the high subsonic speed of the X 47B and Dassaults nEUROn.

But they are all technology demonstrators and Taranis is yet to fly. Will be interesting to see what each three of these countries finally bring into service.

Should probably correct my previous post - USA, Britain and the French leading the way!

Oldman1 · Jul 11, 2013

Congrats to all involved in this program.

Esc8781 · Jul 11, 2013

Oldman1 said:
Congrats to all involved in this program.

Thanks, "Oldman1"!

Oldman1 · Jul 11, 2013

US Navy - X-47B UCAS Completed First & Second Carrier-Based Arrested Landings [1080p] - YouTube

Longer video with 2 landings.

Audio · Jul 11, 2013

Alienware said:
But they are all technology demonstrators

I would argue that northrop Grumman and US DoD put more money into the X-47B then the other two programmes received, iirc 800+ million compared to 400 million for the Neuron.
This isn't a rant, just saying you get what you pay for, and if you pay twice more you get a bigger thing:

the-mission-operator-monitors-the-x-47b-air-vehicles-operation-.jpg

You can see the US one is clearly much bigger.

Alienware said:
French leading the way!

Italy's Alenia keen for involvement in Franco-British UCAV programme

^^ this is what would probably go into production instead of Taranis or Neuron. France isn't the only partner, there's 6.
Dassault says they "own" 50%, SAAB 25%, Alenia the other 25%, though wiki article manages to squeeze more contractors into 100%, namely from Spain, Switzerland and Greece :lol: