Boeing X-45C Phantom Ray, X-46 UCAS/UCAS-D

[donnage99]

X-45N from the rear shot.

May I ask where you got the picture from?

 

[flateric]

it comes from some DARPA or NAVAIR UCAS-D presentation AFAIR

 

[bipa]

X-45N from the rear shot.

When you take a guess at the front shape of that aircraft, it looks more like the recently published F/A-XX pics (though single-engined) : central bulge with 2 sharp "toothy" side intakes.

 

[flateric]

Unmanned but not "unmanned"

By Len Vraniak

When Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth accused her husband of being “unmanned in folly,” the word unmanned was meant as an insult. But when Boeing’s Darryl Davis and Chris Chadwick use the word in discussing unmanned systems, it’s definitely a positive thing.

Today, Davis and Chadwick accentuated the positive in their briefing on Boeing’s wide range of unmanned systems. And there are a lot of positives to talk about. The duo, head of Phantom Works and head of Boeing Military Aircraft respectively, reminded their audience that Boeing’s work in the unmanned arena includes “a lot more than unmanned aerial systems” and includes undersea, ground-based and high altitude systems too.

Davis and Chadwick also announced that Boeing is partnering with NASA to use the Shuttle Carrying Aircraft -- the specially configured 747 that normally carries the Space Shuttle -- to transport the Phantom Ray from its home in St. Louis to NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center. The flight to California will occur sometime in the next few months.

This partnership agreement came about because of a Boeing-funded Commercial Space Act Agreement with NASA. The Act is designed to find commercial uses for NASA technology, such as the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

According to Davis, a Boeing engineer suggested using the Shuttle Carrier, because it would be the most cost-effective way to transport the Phantom Ray. The Boeing team had to develop an attachment to allow the Ray to connect to the structure that normally carries the much larger Space Shuttle.

While at NASA Dryden, Phantom Ray will undergo an extensive series of tests that will extend its mission as a test bed for advanced technologies. Those tests are expected to culminate in a first flight late this year.

The Weird Sisters (The Three Witches) in “Macbeth” are famous for saying “double, double, toil and trouble,” as they stirred their potion. At that time, there were no unmanned systems to detect, assess or respond to the trouble they were brewing up.

Today, however, Boeing’s range of unmanned vehicles is on the job, whether trouble is found in a warzone, an undersea environmental disaster or a raging wildfire. And the Phantom Ray testing at NASA Dryden will ensure that responders will have the very best technologies at their disposal when they arrive on site.

BOEING IMAGE
Under a Boeing-funded Commercial Space Act Agreement with NASA, Boeing's Phantom Ray will be ferried from St. Louis to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., by a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. It is the first time something other than a space shuttle will be flown on the back of the modified Boeing

 

[sferrin]

Reminds me of this:

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

UCAV-N pdf from 2002:

http://www.aiaa.org/documents/conferences/Presentations/thomas.pdf

 

[Matej]

mockup

 

[Steve Pace]

Here's how Boeing will transport its Phantom Ray from St. Louis to edwards AFB.

SP

 

[Matej]

That's interesting - the bifurcated inlet has not been seen on other Boeing UCAVs.

The key point is to know, what you are looking at. Do you think that this is still the single engine subsonic demonstrator?

 

[Ian33]

Still no ferried Phantom Ray? pushing it a bit for the December first flight I would of thought. As for the X-47B, thats gone eerily quiet.

 

[Steve Pace]

Look out NG and your X-47B!... -SP


Boeing Phantom Ray Completes Low-speed Taxi Tests ST. LOUIS, Nov. 22, 2010 -- The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system successfully completed low-speed taxi tests on Nov. 18 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.
"Phantom Ray did exactly what it was supposed to do," said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing. "It communicated with the ground control station, received its orders and made its way down the runway multiple times, allowing us to assess its performance and monitor the advanced systems on board."
The tests were the first for the Phantom Ray following its rollout ceremony in May. Boeing now will prepare Phantom Ray to travel to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on top of one of NASA’s modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. At Edwards, Phantom Ray will undergo high-speed taxi tests before making its first flight. The flight-test program will last approximately six months.
"The autonomous nature of this system is unique, so achieving this milestone speaks volumes about the technology and expertise of Boeing, the Phantom Works organization and the Phantom Ray team," said Dave Koopersmith, vice president, Advanced Boeing Military Aircraft.
Phantom Ray is designed to support potential missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; strike; and autonomous aerial refueling.
Boeing's portfolio of unmanned airborne systems solutions includes the A160T Hummingbird, Integrator, ScanEagle, SolarEagle, Phantom Eye and Phantom Ray.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.
# # #
Contact:
Chris Haddox
Boeing Phantom Works
Office: 314-234-6447
Mobile: 314-707-8891
chris.d.haddox@boeing.com

 

[aim9xray]

"ST. LOUIS, Dec. 13, 2010 -- The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system sits atop a NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), a modified Boeing 747, as it takes off at 1:40 p.m. Central time for today's test flight at Lambert International Airport. The 50-minute flight was conducted in preparation for Phantom Ray's upcoming transport on the SCA to the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

"This is exciting not just because it's the first time that an aircraft other than the space shuttle has flown on the SCA, but also because it puts Phantom Ray that much closer to making its first flight," said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing.

"The SCA flights with Phantom Ray are being conducted under a Boeing-funded, commercial Space Act Agreement with NASA. Once Phantom Ray arrives at Dryden, it will undergo ground and high-speed taxi tests to prepare for its first flight in early 2011.

"Phantom Ray is one of several programs in Boeing's Phantom Works division that are part of the company's rapid prototyping initiative to design, develop and build advanced aircraft and then demonstrate their capabilities."

# # #

Photo credit: Boeing photo
Neg. #: MSF10-0213-001

Contact:

Chris Haddox
Boeing Phantom Works
Office: 314-234-6447
Mobile: 314-707-8891
chris.d.haddox@boeing.com

 

[sferrin]

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

http://www.popsci.com/category/tags/phantom-ray

 

[flateric]

by spotter2 at http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1380125

This is a mockup of the next generation of the X-45 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle, it's called the Phantom Ray
It's at St Charles county airport, at the RCS range,
just outside of St Louis, Missouri
Now in three pieces, it was used for Radar Cross Section tests
This is how it looks now,

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

What's up with the overturned F-15 lying next to it?

 

[flateric]

she just laid up to rest at the sun

 

[flateric]

Graham always has it first)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWcw2D6hv9s&feature=sub

 

[fightingirish]

Yes, Graham is really following this project.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeKNhyhROm8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeKNhyhROm8

Boeing video of the Nov. 18 2010 low-speed taxi tests of the Phantom Ray (formerly X-45C) unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator at St Louis' Lambert Field airport. The Phantom Ray has now been loaded on to NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to be ferried to Edwards AFB in California for flight tests beginning early next year.

 

[flanker]

I have looked through the topic, and have not found the pics i am posting. Sorry if they are reposts.

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/9844/x47bfull.jpg

 

[Stargazer]

I'm not talking about the photo that is visible in the post, but the one that is linked just above it. That's an X-47B, it even says so in the pic's name!!!

 

[flanker]

I'm not talking about the photo that is visible in the post, but the one that is linked just above it. That's an X-47B, it even says so in the pic's name!!!

: Yes, i am aware that is X-47B. I forgot that there was already a thread about it, and i was lazy yesterday to search and find it... (i just came home after being away for several months)

 

[bobbymike]

A question for the SP experts (I apologize if this has been discussed elsewhere) but just how stealthy will these UAV's be as compared to the B-2, F-22 or F-35?

 

[Matej]

Good enough to go to the radar's clutter rejection threshold. I don't expect that they use such expensive and sophisticated technologies, materials and systems like the B-2 or F-22, but they are smaller, with the smoother surface, without the cockpit and they don't fly too fast. Combine it with the advanced sensors, full networking and latest mission planning and you will have very efficient combat system.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

I had the good luck and pleasure of being in the right place at the right time to see the Phantom Ray UCAV/NASA 747 combo test flight on December 13th, the day before they flew off to Edwards AFB to begin testing.

Here's the combo landing at the end of the apparently successful test flight.

I can see it now - UCAV sets new weight lifting record ;D

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[quellish]

Good enough to go to the radar's clutter rejection threshold. I don't expect that they use such expensive and sophisticated technologies, materials and systems like the B-2 or F-22, but they are smaller, with the smoother surface, without the cockpit and they don't fly too fast. Combine it with the advanced sensors, full networking and latest mission planning and you will have very efficient combat system.

It's also worthy to note that you can develop and refine an unmanned aircraft much more quickly than manned aircraft, for a number of reasons. So these UAVs/UCAVs often have technologies or new construction techniques that will not make it into manned aircraft for many years, if at all. If you look at recent LM designs you can see that they have far fewer skin penetrations than, say, JSF. This is a big deal

 

[seruriermarshal]

From Farnborough International Airshow 2010

 

[flateric]

During the flight from St. Louis on Dec. 14, the NASA 747 carrying Phantom Ray passed over Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and
Arizona before landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Photo: NASA

 

[Matej]

From Farnborough International Airshow 2010

Where did you find it?? It seems like the place where was the full size Phantom Ray mockup, but I didnt see anything like that around.

 

[seruriermarshal]

From Farnborough International Airshow 2010

Where did you find it?? It seems like the place where was the full size Phantom Ray mockup, but I didnt see anything like that around.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/code20photog/4874981736/

 

[Matej]

I see. There were the Eagle Eye and armed A160T models on the similar place when I was there.

 

[seruriermarshal]

I see. There were the Eagle Eye and armed A160T models on the similar place when I was there.

Any photos ?

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

In the clip above, I knew that sounded like an F-404 in start-up! Lived with that sound for five years back on Truman. You don't forget that.

 

[Matej]

Any photos ?

Yes, about 4000 Phantom Ray is here: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2230.msg99015.html#msg99015

 

[donnage99]

Mockup with Weapon load out?

 

[quellish]

Mockup with Weapon load out?

X-45C mockup at Edwards open house, yes.

 

[Ian33]

http://www.vaq34.com/junk/boeing_phantom_ray_UCAV-NASA_747_combo_mark_nankivil_13_dec_10_001.jpg

Take a look at the exhaust in hi res on the Phantom Ray.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=1125695

More pics at ar15.

 

[sferrin]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[seruriermarshal]

Boeing Phantom Ray Completes 1st Flight

Unmanned airborne system reaches 7,500 feet, 178 knots

ST. LOUIS, May 3, 2011 -- The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system (UAS) successfully completed its first flight April 27 at NASA's Dryden Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The 17-minute flight took place following a series of high-speed taxi tests in March that validated ground guidance, navigation and control and verified mission planning, pilot interface and operational procedures. Phantom Ray flew to 7,500 feet and reached a speed of 178 knots.

"This day has been two-and-a-half years in the making," said Darryl Davis, president, Boeing Phantom Works. "It's the beginning of providing our customers with a test bed to develop future unmanned systems technology, and a testament to the capabilities resident within Boeing. Just as follow-on tests will expand Phantom Ray's flight envelope, they also will help Boeing expand its presence in the unmanned systems market."

The flight demonstrated Phantom Ray's basic airworthiness, setting the stage for additional flights in the next few weeks. These company-funded flights will prepare Phantom Ray to support potential missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; strike; and autonomous air refueling.

"The first flight moves us farther into the next phase of unmanned aircraft," said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing. "Autonomous, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft are real, and the UAS bar has been raised. Now I’m eager to see how high that bar will go."

Phantom Ray is one of several programs in Phantom Works, including Phantom Eye, that is part of a rapid prototyping initiative to design, develop and build advanced aircraft and then demonstrate their capabilities. Boeing's portfolio of UAS solutions also includes the A160T Hummingbird, Integrator, ScanEagle and SolarEagle.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 66,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.


http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1732

 

[sferrin]

No video or even pics? Come on Boeing PR. :'(