New stealthy aircraft on the tarmac - Palmdale

www.google.com...@34.6409334,-118.0829364,105m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c25784ec70ddb5:0x6a6c792dad12e03a !8m2!3d34.5794343!4d-118.1164613" target="_blank" class="postlink">Palmdale Airport - Google Maps


I've lurked for years. This site is always good for seeing new aircraft, installations, weapon systems, etc. This pic finally got me to stop lurking and see if anyone can identify the aircraft.
Image:

Cheers and greetings to you all.
Endall

Cool. Here it is with a friend last October. No idea what it is but I'm sure "someone" does.

X47a?

a reply to: Phage

Nice! Haven't seen this. The bigger wing appears to be a X-47B?

a reply to: CurlyFries

You inspired me to use Google Earth and look for earlier images.

I expect that is a 47B, but I'm not that well versed.

It's the X-47A Pegasus. It's been out on the ramp since they ended J-UCAS many years ago.

a reply to: Phage

X-47A next to the -47B. The B evolved from the J-UCAS program, into the UCAS-D program.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thank you for the info Zaphod58. Been watching your posts for many years. As often as I go to Google Maps, i haven't seen the -A. So the diamond shape is the X-47A?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yea but...



Also there is an RQ-4 making daily runs out of Patuxent at 50+k feet.

Welcome ATS Curly😊

a reply to: CurlyFries

a reply to: Zaphod58

Bigger, and higher aspect ratio then.

I love flying wings. Did I mention I fly one? Yes, I think I have mentioned it.

a reply to: Bigburgh

It's not an RQ-4, it's an MQ-4. Different animal, designed for open ocean surveillance.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Damnit... why can't i star these..
Ahh.. Introductions.

a reply to: Phage

The two A models were proof of concept aircraft. The X-47A was internally funded, prior to J-UCAS starting. They took the lessons from that, and built the B. The X-45B was designed for more fuel and range, but didn't perform the way they wanted, so they went to the C.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Are they just moving the A around then? Not flying it?

a reply to: CurlyFries

WELCOME TO ATS!

a reply to: Phage

Not anymore. They stopped flying it when J-UCAS really got going in 2003. They were afraid that it would take funding from the B, so now they just move it around as they need the room for other things.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I have a large backyard.
They could park it there.

It would be an awesome beer cooler.

a reply to: Bigburgh

Thanks everyone. Its been a long time coming, and thank you for the welcome.
Zaphod, thanks for the graphic!

That's really interesting. I am curious about the diamond shaped airframe for the drone. There were UFO reports from South American about one particular mountain that residents couldn't approach for fear of being attacked by flying silver diamonds spitting fire.