General UCAV/UAV discussion - A New Hope

[Distiller]

Story from flightglobal:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...ed-uas-370445/

Don't think that any of the current VTOL systems are "fully" autonomous. Development job ahead!

[mrmalaya]

A novel but ugly approach to rotor aviation could have its production line reopened:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...-k-max-370694/

[mrmalaya]

A "new" concept from Boeing for a carrier UCAV appears alongside its 6th generation fighter.....

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/th...gues-sea-.html

[Tango III]

-Germany is expected to re-evaluate the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron TP unmanned air system following Cassidian's decision to halt development work on its Talarion programme.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...ystems-370642/

[mrmalaya]

From Flight Global:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...or-uav-371344/

[obligatory]

From Flight Global:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...or-uav-371344/

The bomb, a Lockheed Martin-built drop-glide weapon called Shadow Hawk is capable of precision guidance by a laser designator attached to the RQ-7. The bomb weighs 4.9kg (11lb) and has a diameter of 6.9 centimetres (2.75 inches). The munition impacted approximately eight inches from the designator target.

Way to go LM !!!
BTW why not call it TDB (Tiny Diameter Bomb) and pay me commission

[raptor2019]

The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) reported progress in arming the MQ-8B Fire Scout UAV, which will be the Navy’s first sea-based unmanned system to carry weapons. The command said its structures rotary-wing division and the Northrop Grumman Fire Scout team are “working briskly” at Webster Field Annex in Patuxent River, Md., to support an urgent operational needs request from Naval Forces Central Command. Final delivery of an operational system is expected by March next year.

Navair awarded Fire Scout prime contractor Northrop Grumman a $17 million contract last September to arm the helicopter with the BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), a laser-guided 2.75-inch (70-mm) rocket. The first intended platforms for the APKWS were the AH-1W and UH-1Y manned helicopters of the U.S. Marine Corps. The weapon was test-fired from a UH-1Y last September.

[raptor2019]

24th Marine Expeditionary Unit “Raven” Flies the Skies of Morocco


Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit demonstrated the capabilities of the MEU’s unmanned aerial system assets for members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, April 12, at Inezgane Airfield.

The UAS demonstration was part of the Command Post Exercise portion of Exercise African Lion 12, a bi-lateral training exercise between U.S forces and Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to promote partnership and mutual understanding between each nation’s militaries.

The live flight of an RG-11B Raven, the smallest of the MEU’s unmanned aerial systems with a wingspan of 4 feet 6 inches and weight of just 4 pounds, highlighted the morning’s events.

[alertken]

confused.ken enquires: This week's UK MoD statement has a contradiction: more money for UAVs...no new UAVs. Who can succinctly list where UK now is...Projects Dabinett/Scavenger/Solomon: Reapers; Predators; Lydian/Hermes 450; Elbit/Thales Watchkeeper; Mantis; Taranis; Telemos joint UK/France for 2020 IOC, but another programme for 2030. For what were BAE INSYTE/LM-UK funded, Feb.2010; for what were BAE/Thales-UK/Dassault funded, June,2011?

[mrmalaya]

is the last bit the follow on to Taranis/nEUROn study?

I also notice that there was an implication in last weeks speech that UAVs could be applicable in the MPA role.

[Tango III]

-Finland’s Ministry of Defense has selected Israeli company Aeronautics for a 20-year-program to equip, train and support tactical ground forces in the use of the company’s Orbiter II mini UAV.

Under the estimated $31 million contract, the Yavne, Israel-based company will provide up to 45 Orbiter systems, including up to 180 unmanned aircraft.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

[Mildave]

ER/MP Gray Eagle: Enhanced MQ-1C Predators for the Army

[Mildave]

X-47B gears up for summer milestones

[raptor2019]

The Drones in our Future

The backyard of my house in the piney woods of southern Chesterfield County is shaped like a half moon surrounded by very tall and skinny loblollies and gum trees. It faces north and can be a good place for aircraft watching.

I live maybe 20 miles as the crow flies from Ft. Pickett, a Virginia National Guard base that is used by military and law enforcement agencies such as Navy SEALs, the Marines, Air Force and Army Special Forces, Canadians, Secret Service, the FBI and Virginia State Police. It’s fairly common to hear the distinctive sounds of military aircraft flying about, such as the muffled roar of Blackhawks, the vibrating thunder of Sea Stallions and, the less frequent “whup, whup” of the old, Vietnam-era Hueys.

[mrmalaya]

The Heron TP remains grounded as the Airforce argues with the manufacturer:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...-crash-372269/

[mrmalaya]

From Flight Global:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...ontest-372387/

That Bluebird design- are the wings like that because they fold up or because of RCS considerations I wonder....

[obligatory]

Absolutely not for RCS, unless they wanted to increase RCS.
The reason is directional stability

[Tango III]

Obama set to arm Italy's drones in milestone move

[swerve]

Obama set to arm Italy's drones in milestone move

Senator Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has publicly opposed the transfer of armed drones. "There are some military technologies that I believe should not be shared with other countries, regardless of how close our partnership," Feinstein, a California Democrat, said last year.

If she got her way, it'd be a great boost for the European UAV industry. Thales & other manufacturers of weapons suitable for UAVs would also be pleased.

The silly woman seems to think that only the USA can make armed UAVs.

[mrmalaya]

From Flight Global:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...canada-372485/

[BlauerMax]

Phantom Eye takes flight

Boeing's Phantom Eye unmanned aerial vehicle made its first flight at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 1, 2012.

[BlauerMax]

Youtube: The Phantom Eye

Boeing's Phantom Eye is an unmanned airborne vehicle (UAV) that serves as an eye in the sky for surveillance, disaster relief, search and rescue, and a multitude of other uses.

[mrmalaya]

The latest in Micro UAV tech....

http://www.latimes.com/business/tech...,4470173.story

[Tango III]

— Poland’s Ministry of Defense has announced plans to acquire between 123 and 205 UAVs by 2018, reported local newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, at a cost of at least 1 billion zloty ($295 million).

http://www.defensenews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

[djcross]

BAMS-D had an oopsie today.

Navy drone crashes off Maryland

[mrmalaya]

Boeing ready to launch it's naval UCAV:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...design-372884/

I wonder if it has STOL attributes?

[raptor2019]

U.S. Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk UAV Crashes In Maryland

A Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator (BAMS-D) unmanned aircraft being tested by the U.S. Navy crashed June 11 at approximately 12:11 EST near Bloodsworth Island in Dorchester County, Md. approximately 22 miles east of NAS Patuxent River, Md.

[mrmalaya]

Will UAVs need more self protection or are swarms the way to go?

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...estroy-372924/

[obligatory]

Both already exist.
MALD is designed from the outset to work in swarm, actually decoying is the whole point.
And then there is the ultra low observable Neuron & X-47B designed from the outset with protection in the form of ultra low RCS.
And finally you have the low RCS cruise missiles like TAURUS KEPD 350 that are designed to both have high protection in the form of low RCS, while simultaneously working in swarms to definitely overwhelm whatever defense there is

[mrmalaya]

hmmm, yes perhaps but that is not what the article is about really.

It discusses things like weaponry being designed by the Israelis with the express intention of downing smaller UAVs and then in turn what measures will need to be designed in to UAS operations to keep them effective in a hostile environment.

Its not talking about stealth or cruise missiles (and there are plenty of people who would argue that a disposable decoy or cruise missile is not the same beast as a UAV).