http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/navy-to-attempt-launching-unmanned-aircraft-from-deck-of-aircraft-carrier-for-first-time/2013/05/14/b9387ad2-bc66-11e2-b537-ab47f0325f7c_story.html
Quote
ABOARD THE USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH — A drone the size of a fighter jet took off from the deck of an American aircraft carrier for the first time Tuesday in a test flight that could eventually open the way for the U.S. to launch unmanned aircraft from just about any place in the world.
The X-47B is the first drone designed to take off and land on a carrier, meaning the U.S. military would not need permission from other countries to use their bases.
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"As our access to overseas ports, forward operating locations and airspace is diminished around the world, the value of the aircraft carrier and the air wing becomes more and more important," Rear Adm. Ted Branch, commander of Naval Air Forces Atlantic, said after the flight off the Virginia coast. "So today is history."
The move to expand the capabilities of the nation's drones comes amid growing criticism of America's use of Predators and Reapers to gather intelligence and carry out lethal missile attacks against terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen.
Critics in the U.S. and abroad have charged that drone strikes cause widespread civilian deaths and are conducted with inadequate oversight.
Still, defense analysts say drones are the future of warfare.
The new Joint Strike Fighter jet "might be the last manned fighter the U.S. ever builds. They're so expensive, they're so complex, and you put a human at risk every time it takes off from a carrier," said James Lewis, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
"This is the next generation of military technology — the unmanned vehicles, the unmanned submersibles, the unmanned aircraft. This will be the future of warfare, and it will be a warfare that is a little less risky for humans but maybe a little more effective when it comes to delivering weapons and effect."
While the X-47B isn't intended for operational use, it will help Navy officials develop future carrier-based drones. Those drones could begin operating by 2020, according to Rear Adm. Mat Winter, the Navy's program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons.
The X-47B is far bigger than the Predator, has three times the range and can be programmed to carry out missions with no human intervention, the Navy said.
While the X-47B isn't a stealth aircraft, it was designed with the low profile of one. That will help in the development of future stealth drones, which would be valuable as the military changes its focus from the Middle East to the Pacific, where a number of countries' air defenses are a lot stronger than Afghanistan's.
"Unmanned systems would be the likely choice in a theater or an environment that was highly defended or dangerous where we wouldn't want to send manned aircraft," Branch said.
During Tuesday's flight, the X-47B used a steam catapult to launch, just as traditional Navy warplanes do. The unarmed aircraft then made two low approaches toward the aircraft carrier as it if was going to land, before being waved off and returning to a higher altitude. The jet then landed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland about an hour later.
The next critical test for the tailless plane will come this summer, when it attempts to land on a moving aircraft carrier, one of the most difficult tasks for Navy pilots.
Earlier this month, the X-47B successfully landed at the air station using a tailhook to catch a cable and bring it to a quick stop, just as planes setting down on carriers have to do.
The X-47B has a wingspan of about 62 feet and weighs 14,000 pounds, versus nearly 49 feet and about 1,100 pounds for the Predator.
While Predators are typically piloted via remote control by someone in the U.S., the X-47B relies only on computer programs to tell it where to fly unless a human operator needs to step in. Eventually, one person may be able to control multiple unmanned aircraft at once, Branch said.
The group Human Rights Watch said it is troubled by what it described as a trend toward the development of fully autonomous weapons that can choose and fire upon targets with no human intervention.
"We're saying you must have meaningful human control over key battlefield decisions of who lives and who dies. That should not be left up to the weapons system itself," said Steve Goose, director of the arms division at Human Rights Watch.
Developed by Northrop Grumman under a 2007 contract at a cost of $1.4 billion, the X-47B is capable of carrying weapons and is designed to be the forerunner for a drone program that will provide around-the-clock intelligence, surveillance and targeting, according to the Navy, which has been giving updates on the project over the past few years.
The X-47B can reach an altitude of more than 40,000 feet and has a range of more than 2,100 nautical miles, versus 675 for the Predator. The Navy plans to show the drone can be refueled in flight, which would give it even greater range.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Good stuff.
trapped landings where done on land last week. good stuff!
Cool story thanks for sharing.
Nice pic of the launch
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1252.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh561%2Fgrovesby%2FMilitary%2Fqys2wlM_zps17a050f0.jpg&hash=9ef87a6ef4d6a69c1950e2b4e2e53c29a35a2eab)
In a few years, they'll remake Top Gun, only this time, Maverick and Goose will be sitting in lazy boys controlling drones.
Quote from: OJsDad on May 16, 2013, 06:07:21 AM
In a few years, they'll remake Top Gun, only this time, Maverick and Goose will be sitting in lazy boys controlling drones.
Ha!
Glad to know it was successfully launched. More importantly, I hope it was successfully recovered!
Quote from: OJsDad on May 16, 2013, 06:07:21 AM
In a few years, they'll remake Top Gun, only this time, Maverick and Goose will be sitting in lazy boys controlling drones.
Actually that will be perfect. They won't even have to recast the parts. Hell they can even bring back Val Kilmer :o
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn04.cdn.justjared.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fheadlines%2F2010%2F03%2Fval-kilmer-macgruber-premiere.jpg&hash=bb3c1cfea074cbee890f49670add3cc4efcce9cc)
What is that around his neck?
Answers on a post card please to LB. Best answer wins a full-size cardboard replica of Val Kilmer.
Quote from: bob48 on May 17, 2013, 02:22:26 PM
Answers on a post card please to LB. Best answer wins a full-size cardboard replica of Val Kilmer.
Is it life size? If so, the shipping costs for that monstrosity will be substantial. ;D
OMG, Iceman is now IcecreamSundae(makeitadoublewithextrawhipcream)man...
Quote from: Arctic Blast on May 17, 2013, 07:55:06 PM
Quote from: bob48 on May 17, 2013, 02:22:26 PM
Answers on a post card please to LB. Best answer wins a full-size cardboard replica of Val Kilmer.
Is it life size? If so, the shipping costs for that monstrosity will be substantial. ;D
Good point. May have to send it in instalments for self-assembly. Just like flat-pack bookshelves.
Val could not fit into his g suit anymore. Some of the maneuvers would result in terminal implosion.
Video of the X-47B doing a "touch and go" last week.
More here
http://breakingdefense.com/2013/05/17/breaking-navy-x-47-drone-makes-1st-touch-go-on-aircraft-carrier/
That's almost like watching a clip from the movie 'Stealth' :o. Except without Jessica Beals. :(
As an aside, when did the navy start issuing lavender windbreakers? :D
Sweet video thanks for sharing mirth!
It's just been announced that the Navy was successful in landing a drone on a carrier.
Now the X-47 will be retired as funding has been cut for it.
Story Number: NNS130710-06Release Date: 7/10/2013 1:45:00 PM
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From Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs
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.
"By evolving and integrating new technology like the X-47B and the unmanned aircraft to follow, carriers will remain relevant throughout their 50-year lifespan," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.
Today's demonstration was the first time a tailless, unmanned autonomous aircraft landed on a modern aircraft carrier.
This test marks an historic event for naval aviation that Navy leaders believe will impact the way the Navy integrates manned and unmanned aircraft on the carrier flight deck in the future.
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.
"We have certainly come a long way in the 102 years since Eugene Ely made the first arrested landing aboard an aircraft carrier. Naval aviators have always been at the forefront of operational and tactical innovation, and today was no exception," said Mabus. "People make unmanned aviation possible and it is people who will provide the fresh thinking and new ideas so crucial to successes like the X-47B program and the unmanned aircraft of the future."
The Navy will continue to update this story as more information from today's demonstration is made available.
you can launch cows off a carrier, the question is can you land them on the carrier?
somewhere theres another thread about the landing qualifiations its completed.
Quote from: Windigo on July 26, 2013, 12:47:32 PM
you can launch cows off a carrier, the question is can you land them on the carrier?
That'd would just be for the milk run. Only the cream of the pilots get to fly that.
TEE HEE
<chortle>
Quote from: bob48 on July 26, 2013, 01:50:05 PM
Quote from: Windigo on July 26, 2013, 12:47:32 PM
you can launch cows off a carrier, the question is can you land them on the carrier?
That'd would just be for the milk run. Only the cream of the pilots get to fly that.
you are just starting to milk this aren't you?
We can't let it go sour on us.
bob would be udderly upset without his puns and he shouldnt have to cow-tow about it.
just trying to get his goat
aw - pull the other one. <cheesy grin>
I dairy ye!
The drone waived itself off on it's third landing test and returned to it's shore base. The Navy is reconsidering it's decision to assign the drone the call sign "Maverick".
http://breakingdefense.com/2013/08/14/adm-winter-x-47-aborted-bush-carrier-landing-not-a-problem/