Uninhabited and Unafraid, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UCAV, UAV, and Drone Aircraft)

[Stargazer]

I can't resist sharing this here, my own take on an unmanned F-23 (had not seen the drawing above beforehand, which proves that there would be no two ways to get about it). Sorry for those who already know it from my gallery... And for those who didn't, well make sure to visit it some time... 

[TsrJoe]

BAE Systems ...

[TsrJoe]

BAE Systems ...

[PR19_Kit]

That QinetiQ Zephyr in Joes top pic looks familiar...... 

It's like a giant version of one the model gliders I used to fly way back when. According to QinetiQ it has a wing span of 54 ft and weighs about 70 lbs, and yet is 'hand launched'...

Yeah right, SOME hands to liftthat weight and size above their head!

[Caveman]

perhaps hand launched in this case means that take-off is not autonomous?

[Mossie]

I think it means pretty much like it's shown in the pic, it can be launched by two or three fellas, or Lou Ferringo!

[PR19_Kit]

It should be 'handS launched' then! 

It must be hell trying to keep the wings of a 54 ft span 'model' level with all that intertia, that's 1.5 times the span of a C172!

Seriously, I wonder what's wrong with drop-off wheels, a la Ar234A. I used to do that with my boost engined gliders almost 50 years ago, it's not even rocket science.

[rickshaw]

Wheels need smooth runways.  Feet don't.  Basically its meant to be a battlefield surveillance drone.  You don't always have nice smooth runways or roads available.  You do however have sufficient diggers to throw the thing into the air.   More than likely its one on the fuselage and one on each wing tip when launching.  I wonder what recovery is like though?

[B777LR]

Inspired by Red Alert 3's Allied Aircraft Carriers and at this day and age, would a CVL packed with UCAVs for strike duties be more useful than the idea would be just a decade ago?

The image I keep on having in mind is something like the Hyuga class DDH (which has torpedo tubes as well as Mk41 VLS for VL ASROC and ESSM, for defense against targets the UCAVs might not necessarily be able to deal well with) with her flight deck and hanger mostly occupied by the likes of Mantis or Predator C......

Absolutely. Things have come a long way. You'll need new UCAVs for the carrier environment, though. Predator needs a 600m runway.

But carriers also sail into the wind, so it already has a speed of around 40-50 km/h. How much more will it need?

[dy031101]

Inspired by Red Alert 3's Allied Aircraft Carriers and at this day and age, would a CVL packed with UCAVs for strike duties be more useful than the idea would be just a decade ago?

The image I keep on having in mind is something like the Hyuga class DDH (which has torpedo tubes as well as Mk41 VLS for VL ASROC and ESSM, for defense against targets the UCAVs might not necessarily be able to deal well with) with her flight deck and hanger mostly occupied by the likes of Mantis or Predator C......

Absolutely. Things have come a long way. You'll need new UCAVs for the carrier environment, though. Predator needs a 600m runway.

But carriers also sail into the wind, so it already has a speed of around 40-50 km/h. How much more will it need?

I'm thinking of the jet-powered development...... don't know what difference it makes in terms of takeoff performance though.

UXV is actually imagined to launch Global Hawks using electromagnetic catapult......

[GTX]

Heh, heh, heh...

DATE:11/02/10
DARPA launches search for unmanned A-10 replacement
By Stephen Trimble

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency could demonstrate within two to three years a new unmanned aircraft designed to provide aerial cover for troops in close proximity to enemy forces.

Proposals from industry are requested by DARPA by 21 February to demonstrate in 2012 or 2013 an unmanned component for a next-generation close air support system. The complete system may eventually assume a role now traditionally served by the Fairchild A-10 and other manned fighters, such as the Boeing F/A-18 and Lockheed Martin F-16.

More recently, armed unmanned air systems, including the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, have performed close air support missions, firing missiles on enemy forces in contact with friendly troops in addition to their surveillance roles.

DARPA's solicitation, dated 29 January, seeks both purpose-built unmanned systems for close air support, as well as unmanned versions of manned fighters, including the "QF-4, QF-16 and UA-10". The QF-4 and QF-16 designates target drone versions of the original fighters, while the UA-10 is presumably a reference to an unmanned version of the A-10.

DARPA has set different performance requirements for unmanned versions. An unmanned variant of the A-10 would have to demonstrate comparable endurance to the manned version, while a purpose-built UAS would have to equal the persistence of the MQ-1 or MQ-9.

The payload of weapons and sensors sought by DARPA is comparable with the MQ-9, with only 907-2,270kg (2,000-5,000lb) requested. The aircraft, however, should have more agility than the Reaper.

DARPA has asked for high subsonic speed greater than Mach 0.65 and capable of manoeuvres imposing higher than 3g pressure on the airframe.

The US Air Force has committed to making unmanned aircraft a regular part of close air support operations. In the USAF "Flight Plan" for UAS, the next-generation MQ-X aircraft is expected to perform the CAS role, in addition to several missions also performed now by the MQ-9.

SOURCE:Flight International

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Here you go, a UA-10D:



Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

And some line drawing versions of the UA-10D:



Regards,

Greg

[B777LR]

Inspired by Red Alert 3's Allied Aircraft Carriers and at this day and age, would a CVL packed with UCAVs for strike duties be more useful than the idea would be just a decade ago?

The image I keep on having in mind is something like the Hyuga class DDH (which has torpedo tubes as well as Mk41 VLS for VL ASROC and ESSM, for defense against targets the UCAVs might not necessarily be able to deal well with) with her flight deck and hanger mostly occupied by the likes of Mantis or Predator C......

Absolutely. Things have come a long way. You'll need new UCAVs for the carrier environment, though. Predator needs a 600m runway.

But carriers also sail into the wind, so it already has a speed of around 40-50 km/h. How much more will it need?

I'm thinking of the jet-powered development...... don't know what difference it makes in terms of takeoff performance though.

UXV is actually imagined to launch Global Hawks using electromagnetic catapult......

A modern turbofan can accelerate the aircraft just as fast as a turboprop, so no problems i think.

[GTX]

Needed to be done:



Regards,

Greg