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As a stealth aircraft, UCAS-D will complement the carrier-based
version of the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C), it will be operated
by the US Navy, UCAS will become the carrier task force's "first
day of the war" asset, similar to way B-2 and F-117 are
used by the US Air Force. As a refuellable unmanned platform
it will provide the Navy with persistent capability over selected,
high value targets in the future battlespace, providing real-time
targeting data for weapons launched from other platforms, or
direct attack by weapons carried on board. The unmanned combat
aircraft will have the capability to acquire targets at high
precision, designate fixed or moving targets, strike them with
precision guided weapons and collect and disseminate post strike
information.
 The
US Navy UCAS program was born from the former Joint Unmanned
Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program sponsored by DARPA. For
this program Boeing developed the X-45 while Northrop Grumman
developed the X-47 UCAV demonstrators. The Navy's UCAS is focusing
on a strike-fighter sized unmanned air vehicle which will demonstrate
carrier flight operations. Testing is scheduled to begin by mid 2010 and culminate with carrier flight operations in 2013.
The tests will involve shipboard operation, including catapult
takeoffs, arrested landings and flight in the immediate vicinity
of an aircraft carrier. The air vehicle will not carry weapons.
“This specific contract is for technology development
and demonstration and will not be an operational system”
explained Navy Capt. Rich Brasel, program manager for NAVAIR’s
technology demonstration effort here. “But through it,
we will develop knowledge, skills and technologies specific
to operating an autonomous low-observable unmanned air vehicle
in an aircraft carrier environment. This is a critical step
in efforts to develop future Naval Aviation combat capabilities.”
Subsequently, following the successful conclusion of these
trials, a full-scale development program will be launched, with
a targeted service entry date in 2018.
The X-47B will be capable of operating at altitudes from sea
level up to over 40,000 ft, at a combat radius of 1,500 nm (on
ISR missions) flying at high subsonic cruise speed. It will
be able to carry up to 4,500 lbs of payload (2,045 internally).
The UCAS-D will be equipped with various sensors including electro-optical
infrared (EO/IR), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with ground
moving target indication (GMI) capability, electronic support
measures (ESM), and others. Unmanned combat aircraft are expected
to be used for intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance
(ISTAR) missions, long range precision strikes, suppression
of enemy air defenses (SEAD), close air support, electronic
attack, and information operations.
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