GEOFF THOMAS
With the increasing international emphasis on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), mainly due to military activity against international terrorism in Afghanistan, it's vital for systems suppliers to be involved with the major projects.
So it's no surprise that Smiths Aerospace is delighted to be involved – as suppliers of the solid-state power distribution and fuel gauging systems – on Boeing's X-45A unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV).
The systems have been installed on the UCAV demonstrator which, when developed and in production, will provide the US Department of Defense with a robust suppression of enemy air defence and deep strike capability.
Testing
The X-45A prototype has already begun flight testing and Boeing's ‘Phantom Works', the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the US Air Force are currently defining the larger X-45B aircraft.
Boeing is also working with DARPA and the US Navy to develop a UCAV for use on aircraft carriers. The UCAV-N will provide the US Navy with robust surveillance, suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD) and deep strike capability that is relatively cheap to buy, operate and support.
The system comprises the UCAV itself, mission control station and support elements and is designed to operate in the demanding aircraft-carrier environment, requiring 50% less space than manned aircraft and functioning with minimal input from a ship-based operator.
Source: Flight Daily News
