The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and US Air Force have initiated the second phase of the Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) programme with the award to Boeing of a $450 million contract extension to build and flight-test two operationally representative X-45B demonstrators starting in late 2004.
Boeing's three-year demonstration programme is intended to provide the basis for the development and deployment of an initial operational A-45 Spiral 2 UCAV within six years. The two planned General Electric F404-powered demonstrator vehicles will be significantly larger and more capable than the two Spiral 0 X-45As, the first of which flew in May.
DARPA had intended to build three X-45Bs, but says it can now achieve the same objectives with only two vehicles.
The Spiral 1 X-45B will have a stealth design, incorporating low observable apertures and antennas, a fully integrated avionics and weapons system, including a synthetic aperture radar, electronic support measures and satellite communications, as well as provision for in-flight refueling.
Boeing's contract includes producing and testing a fourth and fifth block of iterative software loads, two shipping/storage containers and an updated mission control station.
The US Navy's UCAV-N programme, in contrast, remains stalled after meetings between the USN and DARPA failed to resolve differences on how to proceed with the flight demonstration phase.
The USN is reluctant to choose between the Boeing X-46 and Northrop Grumman X-47 demonstrators, ahead of a planned development and acquisition competition in 2004. The $100 million budget for UCAV-N Phase 2B is enough to flight test only one demonstrator. The X-47 began taxiing trials last month.
Source: Flight International
