Aurora Flight Sciences "Excalibur"

[delta_raptor]

Per ora è stato realizzato solo un dimostratore in scala ridotta, ma il progetto sembra molto interessante.

 

L'Excalibur (la versione definitiva) sarà un UCAV con apertura alare di 6,40 m e peso al decollo di 1.800 Kg. L'impianto propulsivo sarà costituito da un turboreattore a doppio flusso Williams F415 (lo stesso dei Tomahawk) per il volo di crociera e come ausilio in determinate fasi del volo STOVL; per le operazioni "verticali" vere e proprie, poi, saranno utilizzate tre ventole, ognuna alimentata da un motore elettrico, che vanno immaginate come poste ai vertici di un ideale triangolo costituito dalle estremità alari e dal muso. L'Aurora pensa in tal modo di poter ovviare agli inconvenienti tipici derivanti dall'utilizzo della tecnologia degli ugelli orientabili, e prevede che in futuro la stessa soluzione possa essere utilizzata per un caccia leggero pilotato. Intanto il dimostratore (3m di apertura alare e 327 Kg al decollo) raggiunge l'interessante velocità (in volo orizzontale, naturalmente) di 519Km/h. Se trovo una foto la posto!

[delta_raptor]

Intanto ecco un video, posto il link:

 

Excalibur

[Ospite intruder]

Sarà mica questo coso?

 

 

 

Da defense-update.com

 

 

The 21 foot wingspan aerial vehicle will weigh about 2,600 lbs. The empty weight will be 700 lbs., Excalibur will be able to carry a payload of up to 400 lbs. To enable the attack role, Excalibur will be compatible with Hellfire, APKWS II, Viper Strike and SPIKE. Excalibur will combine VTOL launch and recovery, high-speed flight (460 knots), and low speed loiter (100 knots) into one aircraft. The vehicle will be able to operate in a STOL or STOVL mode for increased mission durations or payloads. The Excalibur's weapons carriage concept is unique. When the aircraft is on the ground, weapons and payloads are placed over the wings to protect them from damage from dust or debries. After takeoff, Excalibur rolls upside-down to normal flight pattern, with payload and weapons in normal position under the wings.

 

It is powered by a turbine engine, placed in oblique position, generating thrust and lift for forward flight and rotating into vetical, for take-off and landing. The turbine generates sufficient thrust to accelerate the vehicle to dash speed, in excess of 300 knots, enabling the Excalibur to reach flash points in half the time of an attack helicopter. The UAV can also loiter over the target area for much longer, even after flying long distances. Excalibur uses a unique three-fan design to lift augmentation for vertical takeoff and landing. The battery powered lift fans are embedded in the wings and fuselage. The wing stored fans slide out to augment turbine thrust during takeoff and landing. Excalibur will be cleared for operation at altitudes up to 40,000 feet, and 3 hours flight endurance.

 

The flight control system will be designed to enable high level of autonomy, since the aircraft is not be remotely piloted, like current Predators, operators are able are expected to focus on mission planning, finding, and engaging targets instead of flying the aircraft.

 

Excalibur is under development as a technology demonstrator aircraft, funded by the US Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate. Excalibur is scheduled for flight in 2007 pending availability of funds.

 

Highly autonomous flight control system will reduce human involvement in controlling the platform, enabling the operator to focus on mission planning, finding, and engaging targets. The Excalibur, designed by Aurora, is scheduled for flight in 2007. General Dynamics Robotics Systems (GDRS) is responsible for the ground control station and data links.

 

Excalibur is developed by Aurora Flight Sciences in conjunction with the Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate and the Office of Naval Research. Aurora conducted extensive wind tunnel testing of scaled-down vehicles and plans to test a proof of principle aircraft in 2007, after which, the company plans to continue the development into full scale system.

 

 

 

 

Da defensetech.org

 

A Virginia-based company is hoping to test-fly a vertical take-off and landing drone before the end of this year that, ultimately, could do triple duty as strike vehicle, medevac or special ops insertion/extraction plane.

 

The Excalibur is currently being developed as an armed, tactical unmanned aerial vehicle by Aurora Flight Sciences of Manassas, Va., capable of carrying Hellfire anti-tank missiles and Viper Strike missiles. The Hellfire is currently mounted on Predator UAVs, while Viper Strike missiles are used for strikes on the Army's RQ-5B Hunter UAV, both fixed wing aircraft requiring traditional runway take-offs and landings.

 

Excalibur anticipates giving the Army -- if it chooses to follow through in developing the weapons system -- a way of delivering strikes with a VTOL-capable UAV, according to Tim Dawson-Townsend, Excalibur program manager.

 

The plane uses a turbine-electric hybrid propulsion system for VTOL capability and a turbine engine for horizontal flight, according to Excalibur's specs. Because the plane's flight control system would operate with a high level of autonomy, it would not be remotely controlled. The focus of the operators would be on mission planning, locating and engaging targets, the company says.

 

But with modifications, said Dawson-Townsend, the aircraft could carry a man. Ground forces could such a UAV to move an injured or wounded Soldier, while special operators could be dropped into our extracted from a location without the need of a pilot or even flying the vehicle themselves, he said.

 

According to the specs, the plane is also capable of traditional short take-offs and landings.

 

Patricia Woodside, public relations director for Aurora, said the Excalibur is under contract to the Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate. Current funding calls for a one-hour "proof of principal" flight before the end of 2008.

 

The Excalibur would be heavier than the Predator -- 2,900 lbs empty versus 1,130 -- but would be smaller. The final version, expected in 2012 if funding is appropriated, would have a wingspan of 21 feet, be 23 feet long and seven feet high. The Predator has a wingspan of 27 feet, is 27 feet long and just under seven feet high.

 

The version to be tested by the end of the year -- pictured above -- is smaller, weighing in empty at just 620 lbs, with a 10-foot wingspan, a length of 13 feet and just five feet high, according to the specs.

Modificato 14 Maggio 2009 da intruder

[delta_raptor]

Sarà mica questo coso?

 

Esattamente! Oggettino simpatico, non trovate?

[Tuccio14]

Dio ma è orrendo!

[Ospite intruder]

Sicuramente non è gradevole a vedersi, ma mica deve sfilare davanti a papi... signori, è un'arma, non una velina.

[Tuccio14]

Sicuramente non è gradevole a vedersi, ma mica deve sfilare davanti a papi... signori, è un'arma, non una velina.

Sarà, ma rimane brutto!

[Dominus]

Però ha un aspetto molto funzionale

[Ensifer]

Orrendo è Orrendo, ma se potesse fare quelle cose che fa nel video..... CHI SE NE FREGA!!! Pero penso che verrebbe utilizzato in prima linea, o per attacchi mirati e pre-programmati..... vorrei vederlo contro un caccia, tipo eurofighter, tanto per vedere come si dovrebbe comportare.