THE FIRST FLIGHT OF the Lockheed Martin/Boeing Tier III Minus Dark Star stealthy unmanned air-vehicle (UAV), originally scheduled for late 1995, has been delayed by software- and hardware-integration problems. Taxi tests are now expected to begin before the end of the month.
Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical's Tier II Plus high-altitude endurance UAV, meanwhile, has been named the Global Hawk. The non-stealthy UAV is scheduled to be flown for the first time at Edwards AFB, California, in December.
The company is working under a $164 million 31-month, development contract from the US Advanced Research Projects Agency to build and test two air vehicles and one ground station..
Source: Flight International
