Boeing Phantom Ray

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Phantom Ray
Phantom Ray cropped.jpg
The Phantom Ray at Dryden Flight Research Center in April 2011
Role Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
Manufacturer Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
First flightApril 27, 2011 [1]
StatusUnder development
Number built1
Developed from Boeing X-45C

The Boeing Phantom Ray is an American demonstration stealth unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) developed by Boeing using company funds. The autonomous Phantom Ray is a flying wing around the size of a conventional fighter jet, and first flew in April 2011. It will conduct a program of test flights involving surveillance, ground attack and autonomous aerial refueling missions. [2] [3] The developers say it can carry 4,500 pounds (2,040 kg) of payload. [4]

Contents

Design and development

The Phantom Ray project, called "Project Reblue" internally at Boeing, was first conceived in mid-2007, and started in earnest in June 2008. The project was secret within the company, except for a small number of executives and engineers, until May 2009. [5]

Developed by the Boeing Phantom Works, the Phantom Ray is based on the X-45C prototype aircraft, [6] which Boeing originally developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the US Air Force, and the US Navy Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program in 2002. The Phantom Ray was not aimed at any particular military program or competition, [7] although Boeing considered using the design as an entry for the Navy's Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program. [8]

The Phantom Ray was unveiled on May 10, 2010, in St. Louis, Missouri. [3] [9] In November 2010, low-speed taxi tests were carried out in St. Louis. [10] [11] The demonstrator aircraft was to perform ten test flights over six months, supporting missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; seek-and-destroy; [12] electronic attack; hunter/killer; and autonomous aerial refueling. [2] Boeing anticipated that the Phantom Ray would be the first of a series of new prototype aircraft. [3]

The Phantom Ray was scheduled to make its maiden flight in December 2010 from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, [3] [10] but this was later rescheduled, and the aircraft first flew on April 27, 2011, from Edwards AFB, [13] [14] [15] having been carried there by the Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. [13] [15] [16] [17] The Phantom Ray flew to 7,500 feet and reached a speed of 178 knots, [18] flying for a total of 17 minutes. [19] [20]

Specifications

The Phantom Ray being carried on the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft in Missouri in December 2010. Phantom Ray UCAV on the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.jpg
The Phantom Ray being carried on the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft in Missouri in December 2010.

Values for the X-45 are marked with an asterisk (*).

Data from Debut, [3] Boeing backgrounder, [21] Boeing X-45 page [22]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "Pictures: Phantom Ray first flight raises funding hopes". Flight Global. May 4, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Boeing to Develop, Fly 'Phantom Ray' Technology Demonstrator" Archived March 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . Boeing. May 8, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Jackson, Randy. "Phantom Ray makes its debut in St. Louis" Archived May 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . Boeing. May 10, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Phantom Ray Drone Makes Its Debut". 24 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Butler, Amy. "Boeing Unveils ‘Phantom Ray’ Combat UAS Demonstrator" [ permanent dead link ]. Aviation Week, May 11, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Boeing's Phantom Ray – the 'Phoenix' of UCAVs" Archived 2010-03-21 at the Wayback Machine . Aviation Week. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Breaking: Boeing resurrects X-45C as 'Phantom Ray' testbed". Flight Global, May 8, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  8. ↑ "US Navy delays UCLASS RFP". Flight Global, December 11, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  9. ↑ Page, Lewis (May 11, 2010). "'Phantom Ray' robot stealth jet rolls out". The Register. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  10. 1 2 Doyle, Andrew (August 25, 2012). "AUVSI: Boeing makes progress with unmanned programmes". Flight Global. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Boeing Phantom Ray Completes Low-speed Taxi Tests". Boeing, November 22, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Phantom Ray Drone Makes Its First Flight, A Piggyback Ride on a Shuttle-Carrier 747". 18 March 2019.
  13. 1 2 Trimble, Stephen. "Phantom Ray first flight raises funding hopes". Flight International. May 4, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Video: Phantom Ray Drone Makes Maiden Solo Flight". Popular Science. May 4, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  15. 1 2 "Boeing Phantom Ray Takes a Ride on NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft". Boeing. December 13, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  16. ↑ LaBelle, Kurt. "Phantom Ray Takes A Piggy Back Ride On 747" Archived December 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . KTVI via fox2now.com, December 13, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Boeing Phantom Ray: The Future of Unmanned Terror in the Sky".
  18. ↑ "Boeing Phantom Ray Completes 1st Flight".
  19. ↑ "Boeing's Phantom Ray soars like a terrifying, unmanned eagle".
  20. ↑ "Boeing's Next-Gen Drone 'Phantom Ray' Takes Maiden Flight". 24 March 2015.
  21. ↑ Phantom Ray Backgrounder (PDF) Archived March 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . Boeing. February 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  22. ↑ X-45 Joint Unmanned Combat Air System Archived March 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . Boeing. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
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