Current and future of unmanned aircraft (period 2)

In addition to developing the MQ fleet - a 'wild beast' and MQ - 9 'death god', the US military also carried out an ambitious project 'combined unmanned aerial combat system' (Joint Unmanned combat air system - JUCAS).

>> Current and future of unmanned aircraft (period 1)

The program to develop an unmanned aerial combat system combined with JUCAS is a project managed by the High Definition Research Agency (DARPA), with the coordination of US troops and navy.

These agencies are trying to prove the effectiveness of the JUCAS project in inheriting combat missions in the 21st century: suppression of Suppression Enemy Air Defences (SEAD); electronic combat (Electronic Attack - EA); Accurate attack, tracking / reconnaissance.

JUCAS today is an effort that was previously conducted under two separate programs: Unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) combining DARPA and the US Air Force and the program developing Unmanned combat air vehicle naval (UCAV-N) combination of DARPA and US Navy.

The country's defense ministry has officially recognized the great potential that these project programs offer. Thereby, in 2003 the UCAV and UCAV - N program was incorporated into a project to develop a combined unmanned aerial combat system (JUCAS) to meet the requirements for both the US Air Force and Navy.

Here are some typical designs in the integrated aerial combat system development program:

Unmanned aerial combat vehicle (UCAV) X - 45A test project

In 1999, Boeing became the main contractor in a contract with DARPA (high-level research agency of the Ministry of Defense) and the United States Air Force (USAF) to research and manufacture fighter vehicles. driver

Based on this contract, Boeing successfully designed the first two prototype models, X - 45A. For the purpose of manufacturing UCAV to meet the task of Suppression Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) or offensive mission.

Flight X - 45A is designed invisibly with a backward-winged wing, the body structure uses synthetic materials, it has no tail wings. The wingspan of X - 45A is 10.31 m long and the total body length is 8.03 m.

Boeing-built unmanned aerial combat vehicle (UCAV) prototype X - 45A.

The electronic equipment equipped for X - 45A includes: Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) electronic network; synchronous multi-lens output (Synthetic Aperture Radar - SAR) and other electronic countermeasures systems. In particular, SAR radar designed by Raytheon has the ability to 'create' 80 cm resolution images at 80km range.

The UCAV X - 45A has a combination of mounts that can carry additional fuel tanks to increase the range or time of operation or carry the necessary weapon to perform various tasks. X - 45A carries high precision guided bombs.

X - 45A equipped with the Honeywell F124-GA-100 propeller turbofan engine allows to achieve a travel speed of Mach 0.75 and a ceiling of about 10,000 meters.

X - 45A when operated is controlled via the ground control UCAV (provided by NASA), the signals are transmitted via satellite data transmission. BAE System also has a contract with the US to provide flight control systems.

After completing the testing and evaluation processes of operation. Both models X - 45A were put on display in the museum.

Navy unmanned fighter vehicle test project (UCAV - N) X - 47A Pegasus 'horse gat'

X - 47A is a design of Northop Grumman Group and is part of JUCAS program managed by DARPA.

Unmanned aerial combat vehicles for the navy (UCAV - N) X - 47A is designed with a special body structure using synthetic materials to make it invisible.

Just like X - 45 they have no tail. The wingspan of X - 47A is 8.47 m long and the body length is 8.5 m.

Unmanned aerial combat prototype for the US Navy (UCAV - N) X - 47A

Pegasus is equipped with electronic equipment provided by BAE System.

The avionics and computer systems control the flight control process, manage the automatic control mode, control the motor, control and command tasks and other functions.

In addition, the navigation system of the aircraft includes: Global positioning system used on ships (Shipboard relative global positioning system - SRGPS), automatic landing system.

X - 47A uses Pratt & Whitney JT15D - 5C propeller turbofan engines. The average amount of fuel carrying 472 kg or a maximum of 717 kg increases the range. The flying ceiling of X - 47A is over 10,000 m, subsonic speed.

X - 47A 'came out' on January 30, 2002 and made its first takeoff on February 23, 2003. The program did not include weapons, but they could carry bombs, in some tests Pegasus carried a 225 kg fake bomb.

Test project of unmanned fighter vehicles X - 45C

Based on the initial project of DARPA (a high-level defense research agency) in coordination with the US Air Force. Boeing researchers continue to develop another version of X - 45 that is X - 45C.

Basically, the X - 45C variant is somewhat similar to the Boeing X - 46 model that was designed for the US Navy. X - 45C is also designed with special shape. The wingspan is 15.24 meters and has no tail. Total empty weight is about 36,000 pounds (16 tons).

Model of unmanned fighter vehicles for US Air Force X - 45C

Electronic devices can include synchronous multi-lens output (SAR), electronic countermeasures system. In particular, UCAV X - 45C is provided with automatic aerial refueling capability. The flying ceiling of X - 45C is about 12,000 meters, Mach 0.85 cruise speed. The armament of X - 45C is two 905 kg smart bombs.

Unmanned fighter vehicles carry two 905 kg smart bombs for combat missions.

Boeing began assembling three X - 45Cs from June 2004 and made its first flight in 2007.

Unmanned aerial combat vehicle (UCAV) X - 47B test project

Northop Grumman and Lockheet Martin teamed up to develop UCAV for the navy.

Unmanned fighter vehicles for the US Navy X-47B on the carrier deck.

In fact, the design of the X - 47B is no different than the X - 47A except this variant adds two small wings to improve maneuverability at low speeds.

The electronic system is similar to the above, they also include: synchronous multi-lens output (SAR), multi-target system for moving on the ground (Ground move target indicator - GMTI), system dealing with electronic retaliation and other specialized equipment.

UCAV X - 47B landing on carrier

The range of UCAV X - 47B is nearly 4000km, the ceiling is 12,000m and the subsonic speed. Armed weapons are two 905kg smart bombs. It can be said that the two X-45C and X-47B test projects are considered as the next development step of the JUCAS program (developing unmanned aerial combat systems combined for the air force and navy. The US is managed by DARPA - a senior research agency.

These two prototypes bring with them some new features, such as: application of stealth technology at a higher level, similar in size to long-range tactical aircraft in the near future. meet the expectations of the US Air Force and Navy.

Thus, the above four test samples are only experimental and operational evaluation, but they also contribute to a full view of technology to develop generations of non-fighter vehicles. Drive (UCAV) in the future. These are stealth fighters that meet many different missions, large range .