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[commedieu]

The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) completed its first night flight over Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

X-47B is one of several unmanned aircraft programs under development with the Navy's Unmanned Carrier-launched Surveillance and Strike program (UCLASS). In 2013, the aircraft, an X-47B demonstrator built by Northrop Grumman, achieved a number of significant firsts for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations: it completed eight catapult launches from an aircraft carrier; 30 touch-and-goes; and seven arrested landings aboard Naval aircraft carriers.

The most recent test was a success for NAVAIR, testing the X-47B's ability to operate at night and also demonstrating the aircraft's unique lighting system.

The Navy plans on fielding its first UCLASS aircraft on a carrier deck by 2020.

http://www.aviationtoday.com/the-ch...es-First-Night-Flight_81875.html#.U0hqYfldV8E

More on X47b
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_X-47B

hmm....

Miles Dyson me if old..

 

[googleplex]

Miles Dyson me if old..

I can't believe I actually got that reference.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

I can't believe I actually got that reference.

Pretty mainstream movie.

 

[Delta Assault]

All stealth bombers are upgraded with Cyberdyne computers, becoming fully unmanned. Afterwards, they fly with a perfect operational record.

 

[chickdigger802]

anyone remember that bomba movie Stealth?

thought it was alright (and it had biel in a swimsuit).

 

[yellow submarine]

So uh... 8 launches and only 7 landings? dafuq?

 

[Delta Assault]

So uh... 8 launches and only 7 landings? dafuq?

7 carrier landings.

It might've taken off from a carrier and landed at an airbase one time.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

anyone remember that bomba movie Stealth?

thought it was alright (and it had biel in a swimsuit).

AI goes haywire after being struck by lightning.

How could I forget?

 

[Archer]

Soon.

...
...
...

Soon.

 

[googleplex]

Pretty mainstream movie.

Yes mainstream but that character was secondary at best and I didn't even know in remembered his name until the OP mentioned him in this context.

 

[Dan]

Are these guys piloting it or something?

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Are these guys piloting it or something?

They must be drift compatible.

 

[Dega]

Yes mainstream but that character was secondary at best and I didn't even know in remembered his name until the OP mentioned him in this context.

That dude was super important!

Awesome looking plane though.

 

[TheJLC]

Are these guys piloting it or something?

They are instructing the takeoff because there are instructions given by real humans that must be sent to the computer of when it can take off. I think an article once said that it's because everything on the aircraft carrier (like the catapult) is manual and not connected to the jet. Which is why there are also humans next to the jet giving out signals as if there was a human inside the cockpit that could see them.

Anyways, it look forward to seeing the capabilities of this aircraft.

 

[Dan]

They are instructing the takeoff because there are instructions given by real humans that must be sent to the computer of when it can take off. I think an article once said that it's because everything on the aircraft carrier (like the catapult) is manual and not connected to the jet. Which is why there are also humans next to the jet giving out signals as if there was a human inside the cockpit that could see them.

Interesting, thanks.

 

[Himynameischris]

So uh... 8 launches and only 7 landings? dafuq?

One of them is still flying....watching us...

 

[TUROK]

I can't believe I actually got that reference.

Yeah, that indie movie Terminator 2 is pretty good.

 

[chicko1983]

So are these types of aircraft more maneuverable than existing piloted planes? Or are they still limited by the same stall angles?

I would think an advantage of them being non-piloted would be they could pull more g's than a piloted plane, anyone know though?

The shape is not strikingly different so maybe they don't have tighter turning.

 

[golem]

I think the X-37B is much more intriguing..

 

[Woorloog]

So are these types of aircraft more maneuverable than existing piloted planes? Or are they still limited by the same stall angles?

I would think an advantage of them being non-piloted would be they could pull more g's than a piloted plane, anyone know though?

The shape is not strikingly different so maybe they don't have tighter turning.

I reckon they're still limited by aerodynamics to some degree but their ability to pull higher g's than manned fighters is definitively an advantage. Not that you see them in dogfights any time soon. Probably.

I wonder how long before robotic military forces and hardware become more common and used than conventional forces.

 

[Delta Assault]

So are these types of aircraft more maneuverable than existing piloted planes? Or are they still limited by the same stall angles?

I would think an advantage of them being non-piloted would be they could pull more g's than a piloted plane, anyone know though?

The shape is not strikingly different so maybe they don't have tighter turning.

They would still be limited by stall angles, but they are capable of more extreme maneuvers because they can take the G-Forces without passing out or suffering from redout or greyout.

 

[-PXG-]

I thought it was smaller. It's huge

 

[Woorloog]

I thought it was smaller. It's huge

It is a combat UAV, not a reconcraft, so yeah, it is big. Though even those are bigger than one would imagine, i think.

 

[CadetMahoney]

dat first pic

 

[jet1911]

What's that thing on their chin suposed to do?

 

[VARIA]

Just keep Sharon Apple away from this.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

I thought it was smaller. It's huge

isn't it meant to be bomber-ish?

 

[John Kowalski]

that is some fucking power glove alright

 

[OatmealMu]

Are these guys piloting it or something?

They each pilot a different wing.

 

[Bombless]

Just keep Sharon Apple away from this.

I understood that reference!

On topic, I'm impressed by the progress made in unmanned vehicles but I also cannot help but be slightly freaked out by the progress made in unmanned vehicles.