The Boeing joint unmanned combat air system X-45 is an unmanned combat air vehicle being developed for strike missions like Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD), electronic warfare and associated operations.
The Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) programme began being managed by DARPA, however was handed over to a joint US Navy and Air Force office in October 2005. the two principle systems being developed under the primary part of the programme, the Spiral 0 phase, are the Boeing X-45 and Northrop Grumman X-47.
In March 2004, the X-45A completed a ten-day schedule of test flights as well as dropping a 250lb inert tiny smart Bomb (SSB) at NASA's Dryden Flight research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California.
The X-45A air vehicle released the unguided weapon from its internal weapon bay at an altitude of 35,000ft and speed Mach 0.67 (about 442mph). In August 2004, the first test of multi-vehicle operations took place. two X-45A demonstrators were controlled by one operator / pilot. X-45A flight tests were successfully concluded in August 2005.
The Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) programme began being managed by DARPA, however was handed over to a joint US Navy and Air Force office in October 2005. the two principle systems being developed under the primary part of the programme, the Spiral 0 phase, are the Boeing X-45 and Northrop Grumman X-47.
In March 2004, the X-45A completed a ten-day schedule of test flights as well as dropping a 250lb inert tiny smart Bomb (SSB) at NASA's Dryden Flight research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California.
The X-45A air vehicle released the unguided weapon from its internal weapon bay at an altitude of 35,000ft and speed Mach 0.67 (about 442mph). In August 2004, the first test of multi-vehicle operations took place. two X-45A demonstrators were controlled by one operator / pilot. X-45A flight tests were successfully concluded in August 2005.
