Sign-up to receive weekly Defense email updates with news, commentary, photos, videos and more!
Focusing on the critical interplay of programs, policy, funding and operations to provide integrated intelligence and global perspective to defense and government leaders worldwide.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report is relied upon for the latest, critical intelligence on programs, budgets and policies in defense, as well as military and civil space.
Unmanned Horizons is a dedicated section of AviationWeek.com's defense coverage of unmanned systems.
Access news, blog posts, videos, photos and other exclusive unmanned systems-related defense content.
Aviation Week is proud to announce its new Innovation Special Topic page supported by Booz Allen Hamilton.
Check out articles, white papers, interactive features and more related to aviation, aerospace and defense innovation.
Join defense leaders for the annual event focused on improving program performance! More »
In the same week, Northrop Grumman's X-47B combat aircraft system demonstrator has arrived on the aircraft carrier deck -- by crane -- and made its first catapult launch -- on land. Air vehicle AV-2 was lifted off a barge and on to the flightdeck of the USS Truman on Monday (Nov 26) to begin a few weeks of deck handling trials, in port and at sea. Photos and video: US Navy Then today (Nov 29), AV-1 made its first launch from a shore-based steam catapult at the Navy's test center at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. Previously the aircraft had completed ground taxi trials at Pax to demonstrate the wireless hand controller developed to maneuver the unmanned aircraft on deck. Both events are part of the work-up to autonomous carrier landings and take-offs planned for 2013, to prove that a tailless flying-wing aircraft can fly from a carrier and an unmanned air vehicle operate alongside manned aircraft on and around the deck.
Air vehicle AV-2 was lifted off a barge and on to the flightdeck of the USS Truman on Monday (Nov 26) to begin a few weeks of deck handling trials, in port and at sea.
Photos and video: US Navy
Then today (Nov 29), AV-1 made its first launch from a shore-based steam catapult at the Navy's test center at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. Previously the aircraft had completed ground taxi trials at Pax to demonstrate the wireless hand controller developed to maneuver the unmanned aircraft on deck.
Both events are part of the work-up to autonomous carrier landings and take-offs planned for 2013, to prove that a tailless flying-wing aircraft can fly from a carrier and an unmanned air vehicle operate alongside manned aircraft on and around the deck.
Tags: ar99, unmanned, UCAS-D