J-ucas

[Dr Mordrid]

Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems

ST. LOUIS, November 18, 2004 - The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Company accepted the first two engines for the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) X-45C aircraft program Nov. 10 in a ceremony held at a General Electric plant in Lynn, Mass.

Boeing is building three X-45C aircraft in St. Louis as part of the J-UCAS program. Each of the aircraft will be powered by a single F404 engine.

"With the F404 engine, the X-45C will be able to fly a combat radius of more than 1,200 nautical miles, cruise at 0.80 Mach, reach altitudes of 40,000 feet and carry a 4,500 pound weapon payload," said Darryl Davis, Boeing J-UCAS X-45 vice president and program manager. "With that range, speed, and lethality, this unmanned system is truly revolutionary."

The first X-45C flight is scheduled for early 2007, with the initiation of an operational assessment by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy beginning that same year. The assessment will culminate in a demonstration of the capabilities of the J-UCAS system and the X-45's ability to conduct suppression of enemy air defenses; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and strike missions.

The X-45C will be 39-feet long with a 49-foot wingspan. It is designed to be a highly-survivable weapons system that will include advanced sensors and a robust communication system demonstrating advanced target detection and engagement capabilities.

The J-UCAS X-45 program is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)/U.S. Air Force/U.S. Navy/Boeing effort to demonstrate the technical feasibility, military utility and operational value of an unmanned air combat system for the Services.

Unmanned, survivable and you could probably fit 2-3x as many on a carrier as todays combat aircraft.

Dr. Mordrid

[Jon P. Inghram]

Try the DARPA site, it's pretty informative:

http://www.darpa.mil/j-ucas/

[DGhost]

I love the purple light. it makes it look more menacing, yet suprisingly gentle at the same time.

[Jon P. Inghram]

I guess putting a groovy purple light in the middle of the engines intake will block enemy radar or something.

[Elie]

Now the only thing it needs are Shields and warp capabilities and we're in business

Cheers,
Elie

[Jessterw]

Light refraction (could have the wrong term) would be a nice feature

[Dr Mordrid]

It's called "adaptive camouflage" and it's been tested already on the Boeing "Bird of Prey". The technique was to use electro-optical surfaces that change color and/or luminosity to mask its appearance from a distance.

A similar technique was used in a few early 40's aircraft & warships using arrays of light bulbs as part of Operation Yahootie. Basically the lights obscure their outline against a daylight sky, lessening the possibility of visual detection.

The BOP is also reputed to have advanced radar and thermal stealth features not used in current aircraft. Most reports are that it all worked spectacularly.

One of the test pilots admitted that it was named after the Klingon warship that has cloaking capabilities, and there are a lot of Trekkers in the aerospace community.

If you look at the wings they even bear a resemblance to the Klingon BOP.



Dr. Mordrid

[KvHagedorn]

Kinda creepy.. reminds me a bit of this:

http://www.spaceart.de/index.htm?Artikel/einz220.shtml

[Jon P. Inghram]

LoL, I was gonna ask if the purple light moved back and forth, because if it does it'll never be able to hit anything judging by the accuracy of Cylons.

[Dr Mordrid]

I thought its light was more in line with KITT from Knight Rider

Dr. Mordrid

[Byock]

haha, my thoughts exactly.