Boeing Phantom Ray Explained

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. The developers say it can carry 4,500 pounds (2,040 kg) of payload.[1]

Design and development

The Phantom Ray project, internally referred to as "Project Reblue" at Boeing, was initially conceived in mid-2007 and officially commenced in June 2008. The project was secret within the company, except for a small number of executives and engineers, until May 2009.[2]

Developed by the Boeing Phantom Works, the Phantom Ray is based on the X-45C prototype aircraft,[3] 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,[4] although Boeing considered using the design as an entry for the Navy's Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program.[5]

The Phantom Ray was unveiled on May 10, 2010, in St. Louis, Missouri.[6] [7] In November 2010, low-speed taxi tests were carried out in St. Louis.[8] [9] 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;[10] electronic attack; hunter/killer; and autonomous aerial refueling.[11] Boeing anticipated that the Phantom Ray would be the first of a series of new prototype aircraft.[6]

The Phantom Ray was scheduled to make its maiden flight in December 2010 from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center,[6] but this was later rescheduled, and the aircraft first flew on April 27, 2011, from Edwards AFB,[12] [13] [14] having been carried there by the Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.[12] [14] [15] [16] The Phantom Ray flew to 7,500 feet and reached a speed of 178 knots,[17] flying for a total of 17 minutes.[18] [19]

Specifications

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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Phantom Ray Drone Makes Its Debut. . 24 March 2015.
  2. Butler, Amy. "Boeing Unveils ‘Phantom Ray’ Combat UAS Demonstrator". Aviation Week, May 11, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  3. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3a0fc310f6-038d-410a-8d24-5daeb366ef29&plckCommentSortOrder=TimeStampAscending "Boeing's Phantom Ray – the 'Phoenix' of UCAVs"
  4. http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2009/05/breaking-boeing-resurrects-x-4.html "Breaking: Boeing resurrects X-45C as 'Phantom Ray' testbed"
  5. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-navy-delays-uclass-rfp-380098/ "US Navy delays UCLASS RFP"
  6. Jackson, Randy. "Phantom Ray makes its debut in St. Louis" . Boeing. May 10, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  7. Web site: 'Phantom Ray' robot stealth jet rolls out . Page . Lewis . The Register . May 11, 2010 . May 12, 2010.
  8. Web site: AUVSI: Boeing makes progress with unmanned programmes . Flight Global . Andrew . Doyle . August 25, 2012 . February 6, 2013.
  9. http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1532 "Boeing Phantom Ray Completes Low-speed Taxi Tests"
  10. Web site: Phantom Ray Drone Makes Its First Flight, A Piggyback Ride on a Shuttle-Carrier 747. 18 March 2019.
  11. http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2009/q2/090508b_nr.html "Boeing to Develop, Fly 'Phantom Ray' Technology Demonstrator"
  12. Trimble, Stephen. "Phantom Ray first flight raises funding hopes". Flight International. May 4, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  13. http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-05/video-phantom-ray-drone-makes-maiden-solo-flight "Video: Phantom Ray Drone Makes Maiden Solo Flight"
  14. http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1559 "Boeing Phantom Ray Takes a Ride on NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft"
  15. LaBelle, Kurt. "Phantom Ray Takes A Piggy Back Ride On 747" . KTVI via fox2now.com, December 13, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  16. Web site: Boeing Phantom Ray: The Future of Unmanned Terror in the Sky. 3 May 2011 .
  17. Web site: Boeing Phantom Ray Completes 1st Flight.
  18. Web site: Boeing's Phantom Ray soars like a terrifying, unmanned eagle. 18 July 2019 .
  19. Web site: Boeing's Next-Gen Drone 'Phantom Ray' Takes Maiden Flight. . 24 March 2015.

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