With a hat tip to Don Holtzinger, editor of a great website, Thought You Should Know News, the photo above is the X-47B, a new drone by Northrup Grumman, designed specifically as a carrier-based unmanned aircraft.
It is, for all intents and purposes, a "secret" that is known to the Russians and the Chinese whose media have carried news of it, but not to Americans whose media has failed to take any public notice of it. Despite a Google search, Don was unable to find any U.S.-based reporting on this remarkable new weapon.
It's a war toy. Ergo, it wouldn't fit in with the Big O's promise to bring us Peace In Our Time, like that English guy did in 1939.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who pays the slightest attention to the military aviation news has known of this for a long time, especially the Chinese and Russians. The apparent fact that AP, etc. haven't covered it is of no import.
ReplyDeleteAlan.
ReplyDeleteGreat video on this at the following link.
Artist's concept and Computer Graphics from Grumman I know, but still indicative of the aircraft.
Taxi tests on the prototype have been carried out and there will be a 3 year test program at Edwards and Pax River with proposed sea trials in 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbbMMAThTiY