Navy funds four UCLASS entries

The Navy has announced they will fund four entries in the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program. Those funded are Boeing (duh), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin (again, duh), and Northrop Grumman.

None of the companies have specifically mentioned entries into the program, but NG has been testing the X-47B with the Navy, preparing for flying it off a carrier in the next couple of years. General Atomics has recently flown the jet powered Avenger, while LM has shown a stealthy UAV concept that would be their likely entry. Production would begin in 2016.

The US Navy has announced its intention to fund four companies to design new unmanned air vehicles as part of its unmanned carrier-launched airborne surveillance and strike (UCLASS) programme.

Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman “have credible, existing, comprehensive UCLASS design solutions, and associated production capabilities and facilities” to design UAVs through the preliminary design review phase, the navy says.

The presolicitation, announced on 26 March, is the first step towards securing funding for the carrier-based strike and surveillance aircraft. A full solicitation is likely to go out “in the summer timeframe,” says the navy.

www.flightglobal.com...

reply to post by Zaphod58


I'm glad my flight deck days are over... there's already not enough room up there.

S&F as usual. Thanks for the info. I wonder how long drone tech will be effective. I also wonder how effective it will be if an opponent shoots down all of your satellites. In any hostilities they would be my first targets.

P

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


Ah, but have you ever seen the arm controller they use for the X-47? That's so cool!

So the flyby at Palmdale for the Navy Brass and action in Afghanistan was part of the hard sell for the Predator C.

Nice looking airframe and I'm digging the laser.