20-03-2011, 10:26 AM
Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned stealth bomber completes its first flight (pretty video included)
Some guys over at Northrop Grumman successfully completed the first flight of their X-47B unmanned stealth bomber a while ago, (late article), at Edwards Air Force Base in Edwards, California. In the air for a full twenty-nine minutes, the tailless, fighter-sized UAV flew to 5,000 feet and completed several racetrack-type patterns, before landing safely at 2:38 pm PST.
The aircraft will continue to undergo tests at Edwards AFB before heading to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, later this year. The ultimate goal is to get this bad boy taking off and landing on US Navy carriers.
Specifications
General characteristics
Performance
Pretty video
Pretty picture
![[Image: X47B-stealth-bomber.png]](http://markwood.co.cc/donotdelete/articles/X47B-stealth-bomber.png)
Some guys over at Northrop Grumman successfully completed the first flight of their X-47B unmanned stealth bomber a while ago, (late article), at Edwards Air Force Base in Edwards, California. In the air for a full twenty-nine minutes, the tailless, fighter-sized UAV flew to 5,000 feet and completed several racetrack-type patterns, before landing safely at 2:38 pm PST.
The aircraft will continue to undergo tests at Edwards AFB before heading to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, later this year. The ultimate goal is to get this bad boy taking off and landing on US Navy carriers.
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: none aboard
- Length: 38.2 ft (11.63 m)
- Wingspan: 62.1 ft (30.9 ft folded) (18.92 m)
- Height: 10.4 ft (3.10 m)
- Empty weight: 14,000 lb (6,350 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 44,567 lb (20,215 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney F100-220U turbofan
Performance
- Maximum speed: "high subsonic"
- Cruise speed: 0.45 mach
- Range: 2,100+ NM (3,889+ km)
- Service ceiling: 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
Pretty video
Pretty picture