EADS Details Secretive Barracuda UAV Program

The Barracuda is also intended to be a true combat capable UCAV with internal ordnance bay and not with a couple of bolted on Hellfire missiles

Ok, EADS say that the Barracuda can carry weapons as its payload and that the payload is up to 300kg. They haven't publically mentioned any specific weapons or released any pictures of weapons launch which to me suggests that they haven't actually conducted any release tests yet; just as with the Sky-X, it's a latent capability. I suspect that the long panel under the fuselage is the weapons bay:

The use of a dedicated weapons bay rather than interchangable sensor/weapons modules (again, see Sky-X) is significant as it shows the importance given to weapons release tests in the demonstration program.

If the bay I guessed is the weapons bay then it is quite small. Possible weapons that could be carried preclude AAMs as they are generally too long (even IRIS-T is nearly 3m). The Hellfire fits but only one or two and I don't think Germany operates them(?).

EADS owns MBDA who can make JDAM and Diamond Back bombs - these are the most likely candidates IMO.





[edit on 16-5-2006 by planeman]

Germany operates the Euromissile HOT 3 and the Trigat-LR. I don´t remember right now the Luftwaffe attitude towards the Brimstone. Based on your own image:



...I however GUESS that the internal weapons bay coul be definately larger (wider) than the possible openings in your latest picture shows, as there seems to be quite a large hollow space between the nose and the engine/tail gear section.

I think we can rule out wire-guided weapons so I wouldn't count HOT in but Trigat-MR/LR is a possibility.

Re people saying it's not stealthy. In some views it appears that the wing meets the fuselage at a right angle which would create a "corner reflector" situation. However, if you look carefully at a close up of the wing root it is apparent that the angle is greater than 90 degrees. see eads.net...

Planeman, a quick note about you're comparison pic, I've just noticed that you've got the X-45 and X-47 designations mixed up.

Lol, isn't that just typical Typo obviously.

RE: the "edgy" wing

At the ILA 2006 in Berlin where the Barrakuda is shown publicly right now it has been stated that the wing will be replaceable according to the mission profile and loadout. E.G. a shorter, more sweeped wing for low-leve strike missions or a wider, less swept back wing for surveillance lingering. I reckon that this will require some compromise in stealthy design at the fuselage/wing intersection.

Generally it seems as this Barrakuda is intended to become a "multi-role" UAV which is quite funny as there hasnt even been a decent UCAV yet. Multirole meaning that apart from the different wings to be used both the weapons/loadout bay and the sensor compartment in the nose will be customizable to the specific mission needs.

it has also been hinted that, being a technology demonstrator, the probable further developed/production model might increase in size and weight in scale.

That makes a lot of sense - a similar approach to BAE System's Raven/Corax airframe commonality. Where the Barracuda would exceed this is if the wings were modular enought that they could actually be switched on a single generic airframe between missions. The current wing shape would be the interdiction profile shape.

EADS has confirmed that the Barracuda has an internal payload bay for sensors OR weapons.

It is clear that the Barracuda is only a demonstrator. A production version would be bigger to accomodate a more useful payload, both in terms of weight and volume. The most likely powerplant IMO is the Eurojet 200 presumably without afterburner.

www.eads.com...

Nice video of barracuda test flight - you get to see the blending of the body nicely in it as well.

planeman, do you mind sending this barracuda press pack to my e mail? it's daonde at gmail dot com

i really appreciate it!

reply to post by planeman

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planeman, do you mind sending this barracuda press pack to my e mail? it's daonde at gmail dot com

i really appreciate it!

Back in business again with the new machine 99+81

www.eads.com...

Anyone want to know why Europe is not pursuing a 5th Gen fighter?






If you can guess where that will lead answers on a postcard to...

Perhaps the US have curtailed production of the F22 because they see it as a dead end. Certainly there are some interesting UCAVs programmes taking shape, BAE Taranis to name but one.

Regards