Article

2010-02-13 Science & Technology

1st 2 X-47B's to be delivered to Navy this year. Carrier tests next year.

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Posted by 3dc 2010-02-13 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 They want a UAV for their service cause of all the good press, but they don't know what they'll do with it.

Posted by Skidmark 2010-02-13 08:06|| 2010-02-13 08:06|| Front Page Top

#2 Yep. A kinetic weapon.

Posted by Skidmark 2010-02-13 08:10|| 2010-02-13 08:10|| Front Page Top

#3 I wonder if, in the back of the design engineer's mind, there was a subconscious effort to design a "flying sub", as was used in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea?

Though, even as a kid, the use of those glowing nuclear reactor dampening rods freaked me out. Nuclear + glowing did not equal "good".

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-02-13 10:10|| 2010-02-13 10:10|| Front Page Top

#4 B variant looks different and is quite a bit larger..
see it in a parking lot here

Posted by 3dc 2010-02-13 11:13|| 2010-02-13 11:13|| Front Page Top

#5 I could see two versions of this:

1) the 'kinetic weapon' Skidmark notes, from carrier deck to target a thousand miles away, guided by someone on the carrier (or in a lawnchair in Vegas). Just hit the target.

2) a more typical UAV for reconnaissance and perhaps task force defense.

Posted by Steve White 2010-02-13 11:13|| 2010-02-13 11:13|| Front Page Top

#6 Steve - it is suppose to be fully capable as a fighter to protect the carrier.

Posted by 3dc 2010-02-13 11:16|| 2010-02-13 11:16|| Front Page Top

#7 X-47B
It will be strictly an attack/recon platform. It has the one thing carrier aircraft lack:
Range: 2,100+ NM (3,889+ km)

Posted by ed 2010-02-13 12:00|| 2010-02-13 12:00|| Front Page Top

#8 Damn, that sure looks like the thing what used to ride with the SR-71 from time to time.

Posted by Shipman 2010-02-13 15:38|| 2010-02-13 15:38|| Front Page Top

#9 But can it climb up to 70,000 feet?

Posted by Besoeker 2010-02-13 15:51|| 2010-02-13 15:51|| Front Page Top

#10 that was awesome B - was that a modified U2? Looked like it

Posted by Frank G 2010-02-13 16:35|| 2010-02-13 16:35|| Front Page Top

#11 The whole site is awesome. Did you see the hexacopter?