The X-45A was the first modern unmanned aerial vehicle designed specifically for combat strike missions. The X-45A first flew in May 2002. The stealthy, swept wing jet is fitted with fully retractable tricycle landing gear. It is covered with a composite, fiber-reinforced epoxy skin. The fuselage carries two internally housed weapons bays. The F124-GA-100 engine is equipped with a notched air intake and a two dimensional yaw-vectoring nozzle exhausts. Although initially managed by Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), in October 2003 the U.S. Air Force and Navy consolidated the X-45 and X-47 programs and the "Joint" UCAS team was created.
This X-45A, Air Vehicle #1, accomplished several aviation firsts during its testing program. Among them were the first autonomous flight of a high performance combat capable UAV; the first weapons release from an autonomous UAV; and with air vehicle #2, the first autonomous multi-vehicle coordinated flight. Only two X-45A scaled-down technology demonstrators were built and flight tests were successfully concluded in August 2005.
Transferred by the U.S. Air Force
SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 10.31m (33 ft 8 in)
Length: 8.03m (26 ft 5 in)
Height: 1.13 m (3 ft 7 in)
Weight (empty): 3,629 kg (8,000 lb)
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Type
ARMAMENT-Bombs
Dimensions
Storage (Crate Dimensions): 200.7 × 71.1 × 44.4cm (6 ft. 7 in. × 2 ft. 4 in. × 1 ft. 5 1/2 in.)
Inventory Number
A20070231003
Credit Line
Transferred from the United States Air Force.
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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