U.K. Black UCAV Program Code Named "Nightjar"

According to the recent AWST BAE Systems has been working on a classified UCAV program called "Nightjar". The airframe may have already been build and the program may have moved past the concept stage.

The UCAV is stealthy and has an internal weapons bay.
Visual stealth that has been tested on a Hawk jet using LED's may be part of the airframe (Tested under BAE's Chameloeon project)
IR signature suppression
Potential for long range strike applications.

The program according tot he article has two purposes. One is to ensure that the technology base is avalible for future applications. The other reason is to allow leverage for a buy in into a US program in the future.

The UCAV may be avalible to participate in military exersizes as early as 2009. No pictures are avalible as far as I know.

Excellent Fred

I haven't heard of this before, does the article mention whether this is part of the HALO project or something separate?

I would have thought Britain was far too densely populated for BAE to actually fly a prototype before anyone else had heard of the project, that alone impresses me.

Hmmm, now I am imagining FOAS as comprising a bunch of 'Nightjar' UCAVS in the X-45/X-47 style being led by manned 'Replica' fighter leaders. I know, its only a dream

They havent heard of it because of a little thing called a D-Notice, Banning all media in the UK from reporting certain stories on national security grounds.

If it is soon to be (or already) flying, chances are it is based at BAE Warton
In the north west of England (their equivent of a 'skunk works' facility)

[edit on 15-6-2005 by paperplane_uk]

[edit on 15-6-2005 by paperplane_uk]

any picture of this UCAV?? and they probably r flying at night

chances are it looks something like some of the FOAS concept pics that are in other threads on this site

[edit on 15-6-2005 by paperplane_uk]

I live quite near to Warton and there have been rumours / sightings etc...

I too live near a BAE factory (Sainsbury near Preston). Ive noticed an increase in low level aircraft flying late at night, possibly chase aircraft for the project. Ive not really seen anything but Warton and Sainsbury were closely connected during the early eurofighter prototype build and tests.


Cheers


Debaser

www.rafmuseum.org.uk...

Found a pic of the original Nightjar its a t the bottom of the page


due to its construction materials I imagine its a very stealthy airframe

I were up in the Hills of West Yorkshire, Ilkley / Keighley to be exact walking along minding my own business with sweete and a digital camera, when we were buzzed by a triangle and a F3.

The Triangle (not a pure triangle more of a V shape) was of a similar size to the Bae Hawk may be a little bigger.The F3 had no problem staying with it. Height 1000ft speed quickish but not pushing it for the F3.

And no it wasn't a typhoon (See them before and know what they look like)

Sorry no piccys no time.

RAB

[edit on 16-6-2005 by RAB]

Speed “quickish” but not too fast, and only 1000ft high? Man you must have been busy up there if you had no time to snap a photo

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Speed “quickish” but not too fast, and only 1000ft high? Man you must have been busy up there if you had no time to snap a photo

Dude what are you inferring? Put the glass of wine down, take camera out of bag put on the 300mm lense, take lense cap off turn the dam that on and point find target and shoot! Hours :-)

Or look up and the turn to her and say some thing to the effect of who cares

RAB

[edit on 16-6-2005 by RAB]

Regarding the question of where to fly in the UK, as is densely populated.
Yes of course night flying would take place, as to hide this somewhat, but remember the location of warton, and this is a less densely populated area than the south.

If you go a little further north, into the heart of scotland, there is actually alot of places to fly such craft, without the chance of being seen.

I think there has been reports of craft similar to this description, seen before. Some say that they were sighting's of Aurora, but hey, who know's?

I looked up FOAS concepts, and got this...
?Nightjar?

Is it just me or does that concept picture look a it like a whale shark?




Sharks really do look like airplanes, they have the right shape


[edit on 16-6-2005 by WestPoint23]

The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Advanced Development Programs (ADP) 'Morphing' unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is three weeks away from achieving its first flight, according to Frank Cappuccio, vice-president and general manager of Skunk Works ADP. Morphing technology promises to revolutionise the way UAVs and their combat equivalents, unmanned combat aerial ...

I got that from jdw.janes.com... It's the eighth one from the bottom.
unfortunatly you have to be a member to read the rest.

So apparently in 3 weeks it will do its first flight, so obviously it wont morph on the first flight...but hopefully some pictures will emerge. The Morphing UAV is called Hunter-Killer.

One technology being explored is the ability to "morph." Morphing technology expands the envelope of an air vehicle by radically changing the critical physical characteristics of the platform in flight. The end result is a single platform that can perform both long-loiter surveillance and high- speed, short-dash, penetration missions. The combining of missions that are traditionally thought of as unachievable by a single aircraft could become a reality shortly. "Imagine the system utility for the military," Cappuccio said.

Heres a (i believe) Lockheed image of the Hunter-Killer.


Oh the Irony!

Darpa funds the X-45 & X-47, basically the X-45 is for the USAF and the X-47 is for the USN. In 2007 the X-45C and X-47B will be completed. The X-45 is Boeing, and the X-47 is Northrop Grumman.

It looks like Lockheed Morphing "hunter-killer" combines them, and beats them. Navy is very space conscientious, all the aircraft on the Carrier has floding wings, which is why the Navy would prefer the X-47b...because it has foldable wings, however the AF dont care about that, they got plenty of space, so they would opt for the X-45c.

Lockheeds morphing plane can be on the carrier and fold up, and unfolding for taking off.....and the AF would like it cause it can take-off unfolded, and once in the air it can fold for less resistence, and so it would become more efficient, and possibly could make it supersonic as well, then once it gets to its to its destination, it could unfold and brop bombs, or do recon in a position that would let it stay aloft for a longer period of time.

Heres the X-45A, It looks like Lockheeds does..only when theres is folded, and the X-45C looks like theres...only when theres is unfolded. It seems that everyone has settled on pretty much the same design.

X-45A


heres the 2 UCAVS


X-45C


X-47B


X-47B with its wings folded, to save space

Great pics there Murcielago

One reason why I don't think that pic you found would be Nightjar is the air intake...

Putting the intake (and exhaust) on top offers a lot of accoustical advantages, not to mention if there is going to be an optical stealth system, an air intake on bottom wouldn't make sense compared to having it on top.

You didn't mention J-UCAS in there - and AFAIK the Hunter-Killer ptogram is completely separate. Vectorsite is good on this.www.vectorsite.net...