Boeing X-45A Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle

Courtesy: NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, DARPA, Boeing
With all the excitement over the Northrop Grumman X-47B flying this week it's easy to forget that this has all happened before, and this will all happen again.
Dryden Flight Research Center signed an agreement with DARPA and Boeing back in 1999 to each develop an Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV). Boeing and Northrop both developed test models on independent but parallel production paths in order to develop a Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS).
Boeing developed the X-45A demonstration vehicle and Northrop the X-47A. The first flight of the X-45A was in 2002, almost eight years ago.Testing included taxi, takeoff and landing and various airborne activities. One of the key tests for the X-45 was a system to allow for autonomous formation flight and tests delivering weapons on target.
The Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) system demonstration program was a joint DARPA/Air Force/Boeing effort to demonstrate the technical feasibility for a UCAV system to conduct various strike missions within the emerging global command and control architecture. The demonstrations within the program are providing the information necessary to enable decision-makers to determine whether it is technically and fiscally prudent to continue development of UCAV aircraft to perform missions.
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[@SuperGeronimo999]

@lceus: Nope, there are also other Stealth-Drones, this is the X-45A, there is also X-45B&C which have big differences. They are made by Boeing, the newest is the Boeing Phantom Ray. There are also X-47A&B which are made by Northrop Grumman. General Atomics, the developer of the Predator/Reaper-Series, made the Avenger now, it's fast as hell! The downed Drone was a Lockheed Martin RQ-170, it's one of the oldest of them. They are probably developing a RQ-170B now, haha!

[@Suro_One]

@SuperGeronimo999 Good point, I initially meant the RQ-170 though. Ths X-45A is an older model so the one Iran got is more advanced. I can't wait to see the RQ-170B

[@Suro_One]

10 years later and iran got it. Nice going.

[@ankanhalder8341]

Awesome

[@maddercat]

@Fredfredbug4 Area 51 probably developed it early on, but Edwards is where aircraft are flight tested before entering the working air force, and are mostly declassified.

[@scarface8999]

@FREAK9364
First UAV was A.M. Lows aerial target made back around 1916

[@SuperGeronimo999]

@lceus: The RQ-170 is already operational, this isn't. The X-45C Phantom Ray, X-47B Pegasus, & General Atomics Avenger are more advanced. X = eXperimenral, R = Recon, the Avenger will be M. ( Multi-Mission ) I really believe they are working on a more modern RQ-170, exactly because the iran incident. There are also other advanced Drones which aren't made in the US, such like Taranis, Neuron, and Skat. In future, about 100-200 Years there will be a "Skynet" like in Terminator. ;-)

[@zoxsu19]

New desing for airplane,.新的設計航空界.

[@professor14136]

Excellent

[@maddercat]

@Fredfredbug4 This isn't area 51. Rodgers dry lake is in California near Edwards, which is relatively close to L.A., near Lancaster.

[@khakipeach2128]

nice

[@Vuistic]

WHAT IS THAT BLACK PLAN IN THE BACKGROUND AT 1:30!?

[@ginicholas4322]

Vu Nguyen I know your comment is 8 months old but here: "SR-71 blackbird"

[@swiss-ew3uj]

@@ginicholas4322 ik your comment is 5 years old but hi

[@khakipeach2128]

@@swiss-ew3uj ik your reply is 11 months old but hi :)

[@user-xi9bf8ky9w]

1:53 UFO

[@MrWuldntulike2kno]

@Fredfredbug4 .... IT'S EASIER THAN LANDING ON A WET LAKE

[@MrWuldntulike2kno]

@FREAK9364...... HELL NO!

[@Fredfredbug4]

Rogers dry lake? Isn't Area 51 on a dry lake? Look at the length of the runway on the computer screen. Also note the building which look a lot like the ones in the rare ground photos of the base.
Is this project aurora?

[@pesadilla509]

Reimar Horten