Mon, Nov 22, 2004
The Boeing 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.
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