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Navy's X-47B Drone Flies Gear Up

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From AvWeb's AvFlash

 

 

Navy's X-47B Drone Flies Gear Up

X47b_gear_up.jpg

 

 

The Navy's project to develop a tailless drone that can take off and land from ships at sea reached a milestone recently when the X-47B test aircraft retracted its landing gear and flew in cruise configuration for the first time. The successful test took place at Edwards Air Force Base in California on September 30, the Navy said this week. "Reaching this critical test point demonstrates the growing maturity of the air system, and its readiness to move to the next phase of flight testing," said Janis Pamiljans, program manager for Northrop Grumman. The project team aims to complete take-offs and landings from an aircraft carrier in 2013.

 

 

 

The recent flight was part of an ongoing envelope expansion program for the first of two X-47B aircraft produced by Northrop Grumman for the Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration program. Envelope expansion flights are used to demonstrate aircraft performance under a variety of altitude, speed and fuel load conditions, according to Northrop Grumman's news release.

 

 

 

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OMG! What will happen to the 'Tailhook' convention?

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OMG! What will happen to the 'Tailhook' convention?

 

they won't have to worry 'bout scandles.

Edited by MAKO69

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"TINMAN" : "EDI is a Warplane. EDI must have targets."

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OMG! What will happen to the 'Tailhook' convention?

 

Somehow, I think the theme of the party will be a little different than it used to be...........

 

:sad::grandpa:

 

"X-47B flies gear up for the first time". So what? What will be impressive is when it lands for the first time gear up.

 

no, wait......................

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Yes, I also was thinking "RC planes in WWII would raise their gear, we've had UAVs for decades that could do this, this is a big fat ZERO."

 

This is a we don't have anything impressive to report but we're scared to have our funding cut so we're going to toot our uber-tiny horn nice and loud release.

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