Phantom Ray | |
---|---|
The Phantom Ray at Dryden Flight Research Center in April 2011 | |
Role | Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle |
Manufacturer | Boeing Integrated Defense Systems |
First flight | April 27, 2011 [1] |
Status | Under development |
Number built | 1 |
Developed from | Boeing X-45C |
The Boeing Phantom Ray is an American demonstration stealth unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) developed by Boeing using company funds. The autonomous Phantom Ray is a flying wing around the size of a conventional fighter jet, and first flew in April 2011. It will conduct a program of test flights involving surveillance, ground attack and autonomous aerial refueling missions. [2] [3] The developers say it can carry 4,500 pounds (2,040 kg) of payload. [4]
The Phantom Ray project, called "Project Reblue" internally at Boeing, was first conceived in mid-2007, and started in earnest in June 2008. The project was secret within the company, except for a small number of executives and engineers, until May 2009. [5]
Developed by the Boeing Phantom Works, the Phantom Ray is based on the X-45C prototype aircraft, [6] which Boeing originally developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the US Air Force, and the US Navy Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program in 2002. The Phantom Ray was not aimed at any particular military program or competition, [7] although Boeing considered using the design as an entry for the Navy's Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program. [8]
The Phantom Ray was unveiled on May 10, 2010, in St. Louis, Missouri. [3] [9] In November 2010, low-speed taxi tests were carried out in St. Louis. [10] [11] The demonstrator aircraft was to perform ten test flights over six months, supporting missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; seek-and-destroy; [12] electronic attack; hunter/killer; and autonomous aerial refueling. [2] Boeing anticipated that the Phantom Ray would be the first of a series of new prototype aircraft. [3]
The Phantom Ray was scheduled to make its maiden flight in December 2010 from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, [3] [10] but this was later rescheduled, and the aircraft first flew on April 27, 2011, from Edwards AFB, [13] [14] [15] having been carried there by the Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. [13] [15] [16] [17] The Phantom Ray flew to 7,500 feet and reached a speed of 178 knots, [18] flying for a total of 17 minutes. [19] [20]
Values for the X-45 are marked with an asterisk (*).
Data from Debut, [3] Boeing backgrounder, [21] Boeing X-45 page [22]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
Phantom Ray | |
---|---|
The Phantom Ray at Dryden Flight Research Center in April 2011 | |
Role | Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle |
Manufacturer | Boeing Integrated Defense Systems |
First flight | April 27, 2011 [1] |
Status | Under development |
Number built | 1 |
Developed from | Boeing X-45C |
The Boeing Phantom Ray is an American demonstration stealth unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) developed by Boeing using company funds. The autonomous Phantom Ray is a flying wing around the size of a conventional fighter jet, and first flew in April 2011. It will conduct a program of test flights involving surveillance, ground attack and autonomous aerial refueling missions. [2] [3] The developers say it can carry 4,500 pounds (2,040 kg) of payload. [4]
The Phantom Ray project, called "Project Reblue" internally at Boeing, was first conceived in mid-2007, and started in earnest in June 2008. The project was secret within the company, except for a small number of executives and engineers, until May 2009. [5]
Developed by the Boeing Phantom Works, the Phantom Ray is based on the X-45C prototype aircraft, [6] which Boeing originally developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the US Air Force, and the US Navy Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program in 2002. The Phantom Ray was not aimed at any particular military program or competition, [7] although Boeing considered using the design as an entry for the Navy's Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program. [8]
The Phantom Ray was unveiled on May 10, 2010, in St. Louis, Missouri. [3] [9] In November 2010, low-speed taxi tests were carried out in St. Louis. [10] [11] The demonstrator aircraft was to perform ten test flights over six months, supporting missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; seek-and-destroy; [12] electronic attack; hunter/killer; and autonomous aerial refueling. [2] Boeing anticipated that the Phantom Ray would be the first of a series of new prototype aircraft. [3]
The Phantom Ray was scheduled to make its maiden flight in December 2010 from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, [3] [10] but this was later rescheduled, and the aircraft first flew on April 27, 2011, from Edwards AFB, [13] [14] [15] having been carried there by the Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. [13] [15] [16] [17] The Phantom Ray flew to 7,500 feet and reached a speed of 178 knots, [18] flying for a total of 17 minutes. [19] [20]
Values for the X-45 are marked with an asterisk (*).
Data from Debut, [3] Boeing backgrounder, [21] Boeing X-45 page [22]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists