Lockheed unveils UCLASS entry

Lockheed Martin had previously shown a picture with just a little bit of their UCLASS entry, the Sea Ghost. They've now unveiled the complete design, with a product sheet.

The basic design is similar to the RQ-170, with additional features from various other programs, including the F-35. It's said to have multi-spectral stealth capabilities, emissions, and bandwidth management to prevent detection. It's also supposed to be able to perform multiple missions, with the same airframe. Lockheed also says that multiple aircraft could be controlled by a single operator.

It would have the big advantage of reusing a lot of the technologies, making it an "off the shelf" design.

Lockheed Martin is taking the wraps off its submission for the US Navy's prospective unmanned carrier launched surveillance and strike (UCLASS) aircraft at the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Exposition in Washington DC.
According to Lockheed, the bat-wing stealth aircraft formerly referred to as the Sea Ghost integrates proven technologies from previous manned and unmanned developments. The company is stressing an open architecture design and the "maximum reuse of hardware and software."

As such, Lockheed's UCLASS proposal bears a strong family resemblance to the company's RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aircraft, which is being flown by the US Air Force. Technologies from the F-35 programme have also been integrated into the aircraft.
Lockheed says that its UCLASS submission would be adaptable across the whole spectrum of military operations from counter-terrorism to carrier-based strikes. "Enabling operations in any scenario - and in any environment," the company says.
To operate into those disparate environments, the aircraft will have "multi-spectral stealth, as well as emissions and bandwidth management to defeat detection and enable mission success," Lockheed says.

www.flightglobal.com...

www.scribd.com...

I guess the days of actual guys up there duelling with other guys are numbered....some would have us believe....
The whole concept of a strike package of drones is a bit far fetched i think....
The better plan may be to have stand off aircraft accompanying the drones, and then back seaters could make the target run whilstfrontseaters can support them....
Or the computer aboard the F35 is capable of flying a flight of four in tandem with the piloted aircraft....
The computer can meet threats, on command with any or all aircraft it controls, and the F35 (or B2spirit)
can pound the selected target....
A B2 could easily control its own escorts.....to a point....

Very neat.

One step closer to an unmanned military force so I'm all for it. I wish I could see the battles in 100 years from now.

reply to post by Zaphod58

Lockheed also says that multiple aircraft could be controlled by a single operator

As in, the UCLASS relaying controls to nearby semi-autonomous UAV's? Somewhat like a leader of a pack, with the ability to select units to take on specific tasks at a time? I also wonder, if then some of these other crafts could switch between autonomous and manual control, or is that already standard?

reply to post by retirednature


They're still in the semi-autonomous area. Sometime around 2020 they're looking to field an unmanned helicopter that would be able to detect potential threats, and reroute around them, and chose its own course based on maps of the area. That would be the first truly autonomous UAV. Right now they are generally taken off and landed by hand control, some are flown along preprogramed paths, but they don't have the ability to alter around threats yet.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by retirednature

 

They're still in the semi-autonomous area. Sometime around 2020 they're looking to field an unmanned helicopter that would be able to detect potential threats, and reroute around them, and chose its own course based on maps of the area. That would be the first truly autonomous UAV. Right now they are generally taken off and landed by hand control, some are flown along preprogramed paths, but they don't have the ability to alter around threats yet.

Stop it! Your scaring me...

Next thing there will be this new thing called SkyNet to link up all military assets as well as a central military computer system known as The Forbin Project.

reply to post by Terminal1


Don't worry, it's not called SkyNet. They didn't want to be too obvious.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Phew... I can stop digging my shelter now and can tell my wife to stop trying to find Sarah Conner.

Seriously though... good stuff. SnF for the ever vigilant watcher of all aviation things... Zaphod

Originally posted by Hopechest
Very neat.

One step closer to an unmanned military force so I'm all for it. I wish I could see the battles in 100 years from now.

I hope in 100 years time we will have left behind our selfish and blood thirsty nature
and actually stopped butchering each other

reply to post by Zaphod58


Hey zaph,

Is this plane actually flying yet? Or still in development?

Cheers mate.

Anything that Lockheed Martin have got to sell is laughable.
Australia bought fifty of the JSF F-35's ten years ago, in which we paid $35BILLION.

So far we have taken possession of 5 which have fallen waaaay short of their deadly potential. Don't take my word for it, look at a report which was done by a very reputable Australian current affairs program called 4Corners which went to air on Australian television on the 19th Feb, 2013.
Reach for the Sky.
God help us if Australia is invaded, because the F35 won't.

My advice to any other country who is thinking about doing business with Lockheed Martin is DON'T !

reply to post by Terminal1


In time, Forbin, you will come to love me.

That would be a kickass remake, all three novels.

reply to post by Stealthbomber


It's still in development, but will probably be flying soon. Both the Avenger, and the X-47B are UCLASS entries, and are flying, so this won't be far behind.

It's still not as good as the X37B! Space is the place, the high ground, so since we have the X37B, why waste time on more air-breathing drones? It's just so much easier to deliver ordinance from space on things and if your 'drone' is in low Earth orbit, and it can protect itself, without the NEED for human intervention, why blow HUGE amounts of cash on air-breathers, when we can just use the high ground. Space is already 'militarized' so what's the hold up? Why aren't we taking the high ground? Beats me? Is anybody else using it? you bet! Unless we have an exo-atmospheric design on the table, (or flying already probably) then I'm totally cool with that instead!

reply to post by CarbonBase


There was a rumour going on about a 2 stage orbiting aircraft from the USAF. I don't know if this is true or not, since its very hard to confirm much about black projects lol

reply to post by CarbonBase


Because things dropped from orbit tend to cause this thing called "collateral damage". If you have troops in contact (which you will, even if you fight from the high ground), you can't provide close support for them from orbit. And if you don't want to wipe out everything (cities, bases, people, basic infrastructure), the orbital bombardment is completely the wrong way to go.

More information on the UAV.

www.flightglobal.com...

reply to post by retirednature


According to the latest release by Lockheed, the operator would only have to intervene in the operation of each UAV if something unexpected occurred. So he could set each on their mission, and monitor sensors, and if one saw an unexpected threat, take control of that one, maneuver around it, and let it go again.

Very interesting to see that the Sea Ghost has an identical grilled intake as the RQ-170. On a side note, check out the UAV and bomber in this video!

www.youtube.com...

Few weeks in service and they’ll be captured somewhere by someone.

My point is…. Technology is there, man power s there, money is there… but for destructions only. Why is that..?