The
United States Navy's Northrup Grumman-built X-47B carrier-based drone
once again made history this week when it completed an aerial
refueling. During a test flight off of the Maryland coastline the
X-47B drone was linked up to a K-707 Omega Sir Refueling Tanker as it
delivered more than 4.000 ponds of aviation fuel.
"What
we accomplished today demonstrates a significant, groundbreaking step
forward for the Navy," Capt. Beau Duarte, the manager for the
Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation program, said in the release. "The
ability to autonomously transfer and receive fuel in flight will
increase the range and flexibility of future unmanned aircraft
platforms, ultimately extending carrier power projection."
The
X-47B started making history when the stealth drone made its first
flight over Edward Air Force Base in California back on February
4, 2011. The flight lasted for 29 minutes. Where it climbed to 5,000
feet and demonstrated the maneuverability of the tailless design.
Once the flight end the drone was loaded up for its cross-country
trek where it would start the next phase of testing on Aircraft
carriers.
The
drone next made history in Dec
2012 when it made a taxiing
run on the Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. Crew members
used arm-mounted display controls to guide the drone on the historic
run on the flight deck of the Aircraft carrier.
The
drone once again made history when it was launched
from the deck of USS George H W Bush on May 14, 2013. Over the 65
minutes the drone demonstrated some pre-programmed maneuvers doing
several fly-by's of the carrier. With some remote assist they also
preform touch-and-go landings where the drone would come in for a
landing, roll down the runway and then immediately take-off again.
Over the next several months the drone went through more testing of
its abilities to take off and land on Aircraft carriers.
The
Navy still has more testing planned for the drone before putting in
service by 2020.
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