UAVs

Alenia Aeronautica has flagged a possible “extended endurance configuration” of its Sky-X unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator

The company says the configuration is currently being studied alongside analysis of the previously announced tail-less delta wing variant which would supersede the existing Sky-X aircraft.

The company says the configuration is currently being studied alongside analysis of the previously announced tail-less delta wing variant (below)which would supersede the existing Sky-X aircraft (above).

A company announcement says that the endurance version would support high levels of autonomy and be optimised for ground surveillance missions.

Alenia announced in November that it is exploring the potential launch of a full-scale unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) development programme in the second half of 2007, as a successor to its Sky-X demonstrator.

Alenia announced 1 February that it has commenced test flights of its Sky- unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator in Italy following approvals by the Italian civil aviation authority ENAC.

An initial flight has been conducted at the the Italian air force’s base of Amendola, in the Foggia region on Italy’s central Adriatic coast. Alenia says the initial 25min flight saw the Sky-X demonstrator transit to and fly over the Manfredonia Gulf with operations capped at 6,600ft (2,000m). An Italian air force Alenia Aermacchi MB339, crewed by an Alenia pilot, acted as a chase aircraft during the flight.

“The flight has made it possible to check several operational parameters and to test the aircraft’s full automatic mode and navigation systems” says Alenia.

Further flights are planned to be carried out across February “to complete a programme of checks and technological developments of this innovative aircraft” it says.

All previous Sky-X test flights have been conducted at Sweden’s Vidsel test range.