NEW Boeing X-47 Blended Wing Jet-(Discovery Channel)

NEW Blended Wing ecological aircraft solution-(Discovery Channel)The Northrop Grumman X-47B is a demonstration Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle. The X-47 began as part of DARPA's J-UCAS program, and is now part of the United States Navy's UCAS-D program to create a carrier-based unmanned aircraft. Unlike the Boeing X-45, initial Pegasus development was company funded. The original vehicle carries the designation X-47A Pegasus, while the naval version is designated X-47B.The US Navy did not commit to practical UCAV efforts until mid-2000, when the service awarded contracts of US$2 million each to Boeing and Northrop Grumman for a 15-month concept-exploration program.[1] Design considerations for a naval UCAV included dealing with the corrosive salt-water environment, deck handling for launch and recovery, integration with command and control systems, and operation in a carrier's high electromagnetic interference environment. The Navy was also interested in using their UCAVs for reconnaissance missions, penetrating protected airspace to identify targets for the attack waves.

The J-UCAS program was terminated in February 2006 following the US military's Quadrennial Defense Review. The US Air Force and US Navy proceeded with their own UAV programs. The Navy selected Northrop Grumman's X-47B as its unmanned combat air system demonstrator (UCAS-D) program.[2]

Roll out of the X-47B was at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California on December 16, 2008. First flight was expected to occur in November 2009, but was delayed until the first quarter of 2010 due to "propulsion acoustic and engine-start sequencing issues".[3] The X-47B carries no weapons, but has a full-sized weapons bay. In order to provide realistic testing, the demonstration vehicle is the same size and weight as the projected operational craft.[4][5][6]

On December 29, 2009 Northrop Grumman oversaw towed taxi tests of the aircraft at the Palmdale facility, and are expected to taxi the craft under its own power in January 2010.[3] It is planned to have a three-year test program at Edwards AFB, California and NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, culminating in sea trials in 2012.[3]

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• green fuel
• ecological solution
• environment
• northropp
• grumman
• x46a
• ufo

[wqwwqwqqpoppopoo]

jets are more efficient than cars. yes they burn more fuel, but they are moving a heck of a lot more people than your little car, and they are going a zillion times faster...

[grekos1940]

@wqwwqwqqpoppopoo but we need to build more airports so that we can land where we want...

[onetrickhorse]

For the benefits of boundary layer ingestion to take place, the traditional gas turbine engines will need to be replaced. Ingesting the boundary layer is all well and good; but along with it, you ingest the rain and hail falling on top of the aircraft as well. Current engine designs would suffer from the effective 'river' of rain/hail, negating many of the benefits. Electric propulsion will need to be developed, and only then will it see the full benefits talked about in this video. BWB FTW tho!

[Arachnikadia]

@grekos1940 or just make VTOL flying cars that land anywhere, and you get rid of airports all together.

[moistfaucet]

I will not sit close to the wing, can not imagine when the pilot make a turn.

[saultube44]

Fuel efficiency on plains, jet turbines, and there are lot more commercial plains that military ones, military should do it too, but the problem is bigger on the commercial airlines so there should done first.

[mike31jmb]

@saultube44 I did watch the video and it's about fuel efficiency. Your "Military use" statement led me to believe you really don't know how much fuel military planes/vehicles use and those were my examples.

[saultube44]

@mike31jmb Yes of course I'm serious and that plane is not to be used as a jet fighter but a carrier or bomber. Humvee? Abrams tank? what are you writing about? check the video AGAIN and then write.

[mike31jmb]

@saultube44 are you serious? Do you know how much fuel a Jet fighter uses or an Abrams tank, or a Humvee?

[redbeast2]

@wqwwqwqqpoppopoo Wikipedia has an article on fuel efficiency in transportation, you should read it, it's very interesting. Air travel is less efficient per person per mile than automobiles.

[saultube44]

MIlitary use? NO, comecial use FIRST damn it, there is where the problem is!

[whatisfloyd]

@Oldbmwr100rs team members who helped design and test the X-48b came to my school for a seminar about it because im an aerospace engineering student... the structure is not the real issue because any slight weight penalty will be insignificant compared to the increased efficiency of its geometry. in my opinion, the control system would be the greatest challenge since there is no elevator or rudder