Northrop Grumman Firebird
| Northrop Grumman Firebird | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Northrop Grumman Firebird, RAF Fairford 2019
|
|
| Type: | Spy plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
February 9, 2010 |
| Number of pieces: |
2 |
The Northrop Grumman Firebird is an Optionally Piloted Vehicle , a hybrid of a classic spy plane and UAV , as it can be used both manned and unmanned.
history
The prototype built at Scaled Composites as Model 355 in Mojave from composite materials with an elevated wing and retractable landing gear had its maiden flight on February 9, 2010. On May 9, 2011, Northrop Grumman officially introduced the Firebird. A second, enlarged, two-seater prototype flew for the first time on November 12, 2012, reaching a speed of 185 km / h. This prototype, known as the "RO2 Firebird", has a second cockpit seat for a sensor operator for reconnaissance missions.
The Firebird has been developed due to the increasing US national debt, especially under the aspect of cost efficiency, as cuts in the defense budget are expected. The special feature of the machine is that it can be used both manned and unmanned from the ground ( Optionally Piloted Aircraft ). According to Northrop Grumman, this is where the greatest cost savings can be found, as the machine can thus be adapted for all reconnaissance missions. The design of the Firebird with double tail girders is similar to that of the Rockwell OV-10 , but has a single pusher propeller on the rear of the fuselage. The derivation from the OV-10 should have made it possible to limit the development time to less than one year.
The Firebird is to be presented again as part of the "Empire Challenge", which the US armed forces will hold from May 23 to June 3, 2011.
By 2017, a total of ten machines are to be produced for a previously unknown customer at a rate of two pieces per year.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data (single seat variant) |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 10.30 m |
| span | 19.80 m |
| height | 2.96 m |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 2268 kg |
| Top speed | 370 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 9144 m |
| Duration of use | 40 h |
| Engines | a Lycoming TEO-540 ; 350 PS (approx. 260 kW) |
| Armament (planned) | up to 560 kg under the wings |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Claudio Müller: Airplanes of the World 2012 . Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2012, ISBN 978-3-613-03421-1 , p. 268 f .
- ↑ FlugRevue July 2011, p. 18, Firebird flies
- ↑ Larger Firebird Flown , in AIR International , January 2013, p. 11
- ^ Northrop Unveils Firebird MALE Aircraft. Aviation Week, May 9, 2011, accessed May 10, 2010 .
- ↑ US armaments company unveils new spy plane. Spiegel Online, May 10, 2011, accessed March 13, 2018 .
- ↑ Larger Firebird Flown , in AIR International , January 2013, p. 11