UAV · UCAV (demonstrator)
X-47B
Northrop Grumman · United States
Tailless, low-observable carrier-capable UCAV demonstrator; first to perform autonomous carrier launch/recovery (2013) and autonomous aerial refueling (2015).
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Subcategory | Fixed-wing |
| Price | No unit price; UCAS-D contract ~$635.8M (2007) for two demonstrators. CSV $800M unverified. |
| Subtype | UCAV (demonstrator) |
| Role | Carrier-based UCAV demonstrator |
| Class | US Group 5 |
| Classification | Experimental/demonstrator UCAS |
| Mission | Strike (demo), ISR (demo) |
| Datalink | SATCOM and LOS |
| Variants | AV-1, AV-2 |
| Notable partners | Pratt & Whitney (F100 engine), US Navy/NAVAIR |
| MTOW (kg) | 20185 |
| Operators | US Navy (test) |
| Frame type | Flying wing |
| Length (m) | 11.6 |
| Propulsion | Turbofan |
| Range (km) | 3900 |
| Wingspan (m) | 18.9 |
| Combat-proven | No |
| Export status | Not exported |
| Launch method | Carrier catapult, Runway |
| Autonomy level | Fully autonomous |
| Recovery method | Carrier arrested landing, Runway |
| Year introduced | 2011 |
| Max payload (kg) | 2041 |
| Max speed (km/h) | 1102 |
| Production status | Demonstrator only |
| Notable engagements | 2013 first autonomous carrier catapult launch and arrested landing; 2015 first autonomous aerial refueling of a UAV |
| Service ceiling (m) | 12192 |
| Airframe / lift type | Fixed-wing |
| Control / autonomy level | Fully autonomous (human-off-the-loop, AI-navigated), RC line-of-sight – BVLOS |
| Domain | Aerial (UAV/UAS) |
| Mission / use case – civil | Research |
| Mission / use case – military | Armed UCAV, ISR |
| Origin / supply chain | Military-grade |
| Propulsion | Turbine / jet |
| Range / endurance | Long range (>650 km) |
| Signature / detectability | RCS – large, RF-emitting |
| Speed regime | High-speed / jet (>400 km/h) |
| Strike depth / operational role | Deep strike (150–3,000+ km, strategic: refineries, airfields, depots, industry) |
| Threat vector | Surveillance / reconnaissance |
| Weight / class | Class III – Strike / Combat (>600 kg), FAA >25 kg (Part 137 / waiver) |
In the news 3
À son tour, l’US Navy se met en quête d’un drone de combat collaboratif embarquéNavy Sounds Like It Now Wants The Air Combat Drone It Notoriously Passed Over A Decade AgoNavy Wants 1,000 Mile Combat Radius For Carrier Based Tactical Drone Fleets
From uav360.xyz, the xSonomy news feed. Headlines link to the original publisher.
Review-stage catalogue data — specs corroborated from manufacturer and secondary sources; not for procurement decisions. Source: www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/x-47b-ucas