Northrop Grumman sets schedule for prototype X-47B testing

Northrop Grumman announced its schedule for development and testing of two prototype X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System-Demonstrators (UCAS-Ds) during the AUVSI unmanned aerial vehicle show in San Diego, California, in early June.

Jane's reported in August 2007 that the US Navy (USN) had awarded Northrop Grumman a USD635.9 million contract - beating Boeing's X-45 entry - to build two prototype X-47Bs for flight testing and analysis.

Scott Winship, vice-president of Northrop Grumman's X-47B demonstration programme, said the first UCAS-D is 70 per cent complete and the second prototype will begin construction in January 2009.

Once construction is complete, UCAS-D will undergo two years of flight testing, analysis and carrier certification that will prepare future variants of the aircraft for permanent deployment on nuclear-powered aircraft carriers as information-gathering, combat-capable unmanned platforms.

Tighe Parmenter, manager of the USN's X-47B UCAS programme, told Jane's the first aircraft is scheduled to make its first flight in November 2009 from Edwards Air Force Base in California. 162 of 378 words