The Northrop Grumman X-47B is an unmanned combat air vehicle designed for carrier-based operations. Developed by the American defense technology company Northrop Grumman, the X-47 project is part of the United States Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration program. The X-47B first flew in 2011, and on July 10 2013 it successfully performed a series of takeoffs and landings on board USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia.
God bless America!
The X-47B is a tailless, strike fighter-sized unmanned aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman as part of the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) Carrier Demonstration program. Under a contract awarded in 2007, the company designed, produced and is currently flight testing two X-47B aircraft. In 2013, these aircraft were used to successfully demonstrate the first ever carrier-based launches and recoveries by an autonomous, low-observable unmanned aircraft. The UCAS-D program is currently maturing relevant carrier launch, landing, and integration technologies.
