Navy Wants NG X-47B To Demo Aerial Refueling

Northrop Grumman will modify the second X-47B naval unmanned combat air system demonstrator (UCAS-D) to allow autonomous aerial refuelling (AAR) using both U.S. Navy probe-and-drogue and U.S. Air Force boom-and-receptacle methods.

The U.S. Navy has announced plans to award the company a sole-source contract to support the demonstration of AAR capability by 2013, saying the X-47B is the only carrier-suitable unmanned aircraft capable of the task.

AAR would extend the surveillance and strike reach of a 2020-timeframe naval UCAS (N-UCAS) well beyond that of manned aircraft and allow carriers to engage land targets while staying out of range of anti-ship ballistic missiles.

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