UAV Launch from USS GHW Bush (CVN77)
VTWoody and the Navy PAO sent us some information on the unmanned aerial vehicle launch from the deck of the USS George HW Bush today;
USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH, at sea — The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator (UCAS-D) completed its first ever carrier-based catapult launch from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia today.
“Today we saw a small, but significant pixel in the future picture of our Navy as we begin integration of unmanned systems into arguably the most complex warfighting environment that exists today: the flight deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier,” said Vice Adm. David Buss, commander, Naval Air Forces, the Navy’s “Air Boss”.
The unmanned aircraft launched from the deck of George H.W. Bush at 11:18 a.m. It executed several planned low approaches to the carrier and safely transited across the Chesapeake Bay to land at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., after a 65-minute flight.
Buss called the launch a “watershed event” in naval aviation and said he expects that decades from now, a future “Air Boss” will have a picture of the X-47B launching from Bush behind his or her desk just as he has a picture of aviation pioneer Eugene Ely’s first-ever landing on the deck of a ship in 1911 behind his desk today.
Completing another important first for the UCAS-D program, the team demonstrated the ability to precisely navigate the X-47B within the controlled airspace around an aircraft carrier at sea and seamlessly pass control of the air vehicle from a “mission operator” aboard the carrier to one located in the Mission Test Control Center at NAS Patuxent River for landing.
“The flight today demonstrated that the X-47B is capable of operation from a carrier, hand-off from one mission control station to another, flight through the national airspace, and recovery at another location without degradation in safety or precision,” said Matt Funk, lead test engineer for the Navy UCAS program.
Videos of the launch and landing below the jump
Category: Navy
That was some impressive stuff right there. I was wondering is there was going to be a send-off salute and, if so, to what or whom. I didn’t see one, though.
The people not exactly thrilled by this? Naval aviators. The “need for speed” doesn’t have same panache piloting drones from a dark control room for a 8 hr shift. Impressing the chicks could be a challenge.
@2
Yah, well, with apologies to Hollywood and Goose, that’s awesome stuff. I’m rather looking forward to that sort of thing being transferred landside. How long before drone, fully-automated artillery hit the scene? Tanks? Troops?
You’ll never fully eliminate the need for a human presence on the battlefield, but I’d like to see as many robots as we can throw in harm’s way to protect American lives.
Impressive.
The Cylons will be looking for a place to park their Basestars before too long.
If the weather is perfect, fine. But what if, on a lovely clear day, there is wind shear on takeoff or landing? Human pilots can handle this. Can a remote operator do the same as well?
Flocks of birds sucked into the turbines are a problem for any jet pilot. Is a remote operator going to be even vagely aware of that or what hit the RPA?
They aren’t truly unmanned aircraft as long as they are being controlled by someone. They are more properly labeled remote piloted aircraft, until or unless Skynet or the Cylons abscond with the network codes and confiscate control of them.
I don’t have an issue with the idea. I am very aware of the extreme risks that fighter pilots face. I still think the human element is a better choice for the cockpit.
And my personal favorite: a really good pilot can handle a plane that has lost hydraulics (e.g., the USAD Warthog pilot who flew her damaged aircraft by wire) and land safely. A remote operator won’t have that advantage.
Cool cyborgs, US Navy!
@4: I would be very surprised if the flight systems, especially at take-off, don’t have an extensive sensor package allowing for local stabilization adjustments — all with pilot over-ride possible, of course.
And I’m all for pilots in some roles, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a pilot leading a wing of small, agile drones along with his fighter in the relatively near future. It comes down to economics and capabilities. The human mind is pretty great, but the body sometimes limits us.
Yea, well. but do they use that fancy dancy new bio-green fuel USN ha apid so dearly for? That is my only question. Back to you, Airboss.
Note to self: “paid”
There’s no way this is the first UAV launch from a carrier? How is that possible?
@6 just like in Black Ops 2! (oh wait, that didn’t turn out so good….)
Allah is not going to be happy about this.
@2–maybe they can flash that really bitchin “cyberwarrior” bling around. Yeah, that’ll work.
This is an autonomous aircraft. No body flew this craft from the ground.http://news.discovery.com/tech/x-47b-robot-plane-120801.htm The only time someone has control is while steering on the flight deck with a remote control.
I’ll only be impressed when it can land on a carrier.