• Boeing’s Phantom Ray Stealth UAV Makes First Flight
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[quote=DefenseTech] [img]http://images.defensetech.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Phantomray.jpg[/img] Boeing’s Phantom Ray stealthy UAV demonstrator made its first flight last week out of Edwards Air Force Base. The fighter-size Phantom Ray is derived from Boeing’s unsuccessful X-45 bid for the Navy’s unmanned combat air system demonstrator program. Boeing engineers were undaunted and decided to tweak the X-45 design and continue developing the bird on the company’s own dime. The plane made its premiere flight out of Edwards Air Force Base in California on April 27, when it flew to 7,500 feet and reached a speed of 178 knots. This flight along with upcoming ones was to prove that the plane is airworthy, engineers will gradually push the plane higher and faster and have it perform more complex manuvers to ensure that it works as designed. Once this is done, Boeing will start testing the plane’s ability to do everything from conduct ISR and close air support missions to electronic warfare and autonomous mid-air refueling. Keep in mind that this is the second airplane designed to do these things that’s already in flight test. Northrop’s X-47, the victor in the UCAS contest, entered flight test earlier this year and will be flying off carrier decks in the coming years. Boeing’s Phantom Ray program manager said it best when he described how stealthy, unmanned combat drones are here, in a big way. “The first flight moves us farther into the next phase of unmanned aircraft,” said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing. “Autonomous, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft are real, and the UAS bar has been raised. Now I’m eager to see how high that bar will go.” Now that the flood gates are open, we may see these highly advanced UAVs make their combat debut much quicker than we expected. Heck, the Air Force is already flying one stealthy-looking UAV in Afghanistan. Some even speculate that it played a role in the mission that killed Osama bin Laden on Sunday. If they’ve got that bird flying publicly, I guarantee you they’ve got a host of similar yet more advanced projects flying in the black world. [/quote] Read more: [url]http://defensetech.org/2011/05/03/boeings-phantom-ray-stealth-uav-makes-first-flight/#ixzz1LNWOzP8n[/url] Defense.org
Not very stealthy if I can see it.
[QUOTE=Chickens!;29608562]Not very stealthy if I can see it.[/QUOTE] See what? :wink:
The design looks very 50'ish. Maybe it's just the photo, but it looks like something out of a cheesy b grade space movie. And yes, I know it has to be slim-lined ect, but I'm just saying what I think.
[quote][b]“Autonomous, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft are real,[/b] and the UAS bar has been raised. Now I’m eager to see how high that bar will go.”[/quote] [img]http://www.dvdcorral.com/dvd/images/max/043396120631.jpg[/img] :v:
[QUOTE=Chickens!;29608562]Not very stealthy if I can see it.[/QUOTE] Here it is with stealth mode on: [img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3344508/201105%20Maj/Phantomray.jpg[/img]
Whats the point of a stealth UAV?
Not bein shot down when operating? :downs:
[QUOTE=slinkman;29608834]Whats the point of a stealth UAV?[/QUOTE] Being able to spy on enemies without them knowing it?
[QUOTE=Whomobile;29608646]The design looks very 50'ish. Maybe it's just the photo, but it looks like something out of a cheesy b grade space movie. And yes, I know it has to be slim-lined ect, but I'm just saying what I think.[/QUOTE] It looks like a F-117.
The X-47B UCAS? SWEET!
The last comment really struck me. I really wonder what kind of stuff they have flying around that is deeply classified?
I love it when they make death machines tinier.
[QUOTE=Whomobile;29608646]The design looks very 50'ish. Maybe it's just the photo, but it looks like something out of a cheesy b grade space movie. [/QUOTE] Damn it, now we have to change the design
More pictures, guys, many of them renders. [img]http://frontierindia.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/200809-northrop-grumman-ucas.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.richardcyoung.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/X47B.jpg[/img] [img]http://luckybogey.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/x-47pegasus_5.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.rati.com/multimedia/IMAGES%5C11126.jpg[/img] [img]http://emotibot.net/pix/959.jpeg[/img]
[QUOTE=Fear_Fox;29609061]Being able to spy on enemies without them knowing it?[/QUOTE] Insurgents have sonar now? When did this happen?
looks like the british one, [media]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/12/article-0-0A69FEDA000005DC-668_634x406.jpg[/media]
[QUOTE=Nat562;29610029]looks like the british one, [media]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/12/article-0-0A69FEDA000005DC-668_634x406.jpg[/media][/QUOTE] What are those spikes on the ground for?
[QUOTE=slinkman;29610236]What are those spikes on the ground for?[/QUOTE] Stop people stealing it.
[QUOTE=slinkman;29610236]What are those spikes on the ground for?[/QUOTE] Looks like the spikes they have in acoustical chambers - perhaps for radar testing? See, the walls have them too. The spikes absorb radar rather than reflecting it, and they need to be able to ensure that nothing but the stealth aircraft is uncovered so that they can determine how 'invisible' it really is. At least that's my guess.
Counter-UAV up; they're blind!
Oh my Gods, It's a frakkin Cylon!
I remember when spy planes needed people in them. The good ol days.
[QUOTE=credesniper;29618268]I remember when spy planes needed people in them. The good ol days.[/QUOTE] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_U-2_incident]Yeah, back when people were shot down in spy planes over hostile territory, the good ol' days indeed![/url]
[QUOTE=slinkman;29609887]Insurgents have sonar now? When did this happen?[/QUOTE] Wouldn't it be radar?
[QUOTE=Penguin-Man;29620991]Wouldn't it be radar?[/QUOTE] Yeah, and basic radar technology isn't that hard to pull off or buy. This thing is probably covered in radiowave absorbing materials and the shape prevents radar signals being reflected back to the transmitter.
That's pretty big. Thought it would be smaller.
Awesome technology, it will be really useful for mass shortages of resources, or when it's decided that there's too many people living on Earth. I'd consider myself lucky to be killed by one of those.
Seems like just last year this aircraft had its picture leaked onto the net and the military denied its existence. :allears:
[QUOTE=Electrocuter;29609126]It looks like a F-117.[/QUOTE] Looks more like a miniature B2 bomber. Probably will be used in a similar function.
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