Northrop Grumman has revealed that its X-47B unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) is already half way through final assembly, as it offers the aircraft for a US Navy carrier-based demonstrator programme.
The US company began building two carrier-capable X-47Bs for the US Air Force/Navy Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) demonstration, and continued work with company funding after that programme was cancelled last year. As these pictures show, the first vehicle is now taking shape at its Palmdale, California plant.
Boeing and Northrop submitted proposals for the US Navy's $1 billion unmanned combat air system demonstrator (UCAS-D) on Monday. Boeing is offering a carrier-capable X-45N derivative of the land-based X-45C built but not flown under J-UCAS.
The UCAS-D contract will be awarded in July, and Northrop programme manager Scott Winship says the X-47B would fly in November 2008 if selected.
Northrop believes it has an advantage because the X-47B was designed from the outset for carrier operations. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney F100-220Um fighter engine, the 45,000lb-class vehicle can carry two 2,000lb weapons internally, with a 2,800nm range and the capability for in-flight refuelling