Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike

U nmanned C arrier L aunched A irborne S urveillance and S trike (UCLASS) is an acquisition program of the US Navy . The subject of the procurement project is a carrier-based unmanned flight system with ISR and attack capabilities with steal- the properties. Many of the technologies were and are beingtestedwithin the framework of the UCAS-D program. In March 2013, the US Navy announced that it would fund the development of four prototypes. In 2016, after the prototypes have been completed, the final solution will be selected. However, the requirements for signature , range (in-flight refueling ) and payload have since been reduced so much for cost reasons that criticism of the benefits of such an aircraft is growing. Most recently, the focus was increasingly placed on long flight times in only lightly defended airspace. This requires a fundamentally different aircraft design, which led to resentment among industrial companies, who had invested considerable capital in preliminary studies and the development of prototypes. However, the requirement to take off from an aircraft carrier andto fly a reconnaissance missionin 600 NM (1,100 km)remained unchanged .

In August 2013 the following companies received a contract for a preliminary design study:

• Northrop Grumman with a further development of the X-47B Pegasus
• Lockheed Martin with the Sea Ghost
• General Atomics with a derivative of the Avenger , called Sea Avenger
• Boeing with a further development of the Boeing Phantom Ray

In mid-2015, the US Department of Defense assigned the designation RAQ-25A to the future winner of the program, but changed it to MQ-25 Stingray in March 2016 . In August 2018, Boeing won the tender and was awarded the contract to develop the MQ-25A Stingray for series production.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} NavalDrones: Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) Program. Retrieved December 12, 2012 . 
2. ↑ Flight Global: US Navy to formalize unmanned carrier strike plan. Retrieved December 12, 2012 . 
3. ↑ Flight Global: US Navy plans to place four UCLASS development contracts. Retrieved March 28, 2013 . 
4. ↑ Flight Global: Reduced capability leaves UCLASS vulnerable to budget ax. Retrieved August 13, 2013 . 
5. ^ Flight Global: Industry concerned about US Navy UCLASS requirements. Retrieved October 8, 2013 . 
6. ↑ Flight Global: US Navy poised for UCLASS bidding after unmanned demo. Retrieved September 2, 2014 . 
7. ↑ FlightGlobal: US Navy awards UCLASS preliminary design contracts. Retrieved August 20, 2013 . 
8. ↑ Flight Global: US Navy delays UCLASS RFP. Retrieved December 12, 2012 . 
9. ↑ defensetech.org: Boeing's New Carrier-Launched Drone Design. Retrieved December 12, 2012 . 
10. ↑ uasvision.com: Lockheed Martin Sea Ghost Jet UCLASS UAS - Update. Retrieved December 12, 2012 . 
11. ↑ DoD approves designations : In: AIR International July 2015, p. 19
12. ↑ MQ-25 Stingray at www.navaldrones.com
13. ↑ US Navy awards Boeing $ 805 million MQ-25A Stingray contract. FlightGlobal, August 31, 2018, accessed August 31, 2018 .