Tag Archives: X-47B

US Navy’s X-47B unmanned jet successfully lands on an aircraft carrier

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The US Navy's unmanned plane, the X-47B, has been in development for years. It first flew in 2011, began testing aboard an aircraft carrier in late 2012, and finally took off from a floating airstrip earlier this year. Taking off from a moving ship is easier than landing on one, of course, but the X-47B accomplished that task today when it successfully landed on the USS George H.W. Bush. And, just to show off, shortly thereafter the X-47B was launched from carrier via catapult and, once again, landed successfully. So, it looks to be only a matter of time before our Top Guns look more like Watson, and less like Tom Cruise.

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Source: US Navy

US Navy’s X-47B is the first unmanned plane launched from an aircraft carrier (video)

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US Navy's X-47B is the first unmanned plane launched from an aircraft carrier (video)

After limbering up with taxi tests since December, the X-47B unmanned combat air system has finally taken off from an aircraft carrier, making it the first pilotless plane to have successfully done so, and with a catapult launch to boot. Despite the craft's ability to fly on its own, it was controlled by a human aboard the George H.W. Bush after it was flung from the ship. Once in the air, the Northrop Grumman-built craft was guided back for a landing on a runway planted on terra firm. Now that the bird's proved it can handle launches at sea, other excursions will put the automatic navigation and landing features through their paces. Hit the break for a video of the X-47B taking to the skies.

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Source: IEEE Spectrum, US Navy (YouTube)

X-47B unmanned combat aircraft starts light workouts aboard USS Truman (video)

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While the USAF has been tacking missiles onto Predator drones for quite some time, so far a true unmanned attack plane has yet to grace any carrier decks -- until now. The US Navy has started flogging an X-47B Unmanned Combat Aircraft System (UCAS) aboard the USS Truman, with a video (below the break) showing it taxiing around the flight deck. The current round of tests has focused on "handling and control characteristics," but officials have said the robotic stealth fighters could be launched from the ship's catapult "if all conditions are nominal." The X-47B has already completed some flight tests, and was even launched from a sling on November 29th, but all that happened at naval air bases, not on the open water. With all the unmanned aircraft coming into the military's system, we can imagine a lot of pilots on the Truman were giving it the stink-eye.

Continue reading X-47B unmanned combat aircraft starts light workouts aboard USS Truman (video)

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Via: DefenseTech

Source: Defense News