Boeing Phantom Ray Completes 1st Flight Reaching 7,500 Feet

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Boeing Phantom Ray Completes 1st Flight Reaching 7,500 Feet By Jim Douglas

		May 6, 2011 - This week Boeing reported that its Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system (UAS) successfully completed its first flight April 27 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The 17-minute flight took place following a series of high-speed taxi tests in March that validated ground guidance, navigation and control and verified mission planning, pilot interface and operational procedures. Phantom Ray flew to 7,500 feet and reached a speed of 178 knots. "This day has been two-and-a-half years in the making," said Darryl Davis, president, Boeing Phantom Works. "It's the beginning of providing our customers with a test bed to develop future unmanned systems technology, and a testament to the capabilities resident within Boeing.

"Just as follow-on tests will expand Phantom Ray's flight envelope, they also will help Boeing expand its presence in the unmanned systems market." The flight demonstrated Phantom Ray's basic airworthiness, setting the stage for additional flights in the next few weeks. These company-funded flights will prepare Phantom Ray to support potential missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; strike; and autonomous air refueling. "The first flight moves us farther into the next phase of unmanned aircraft," said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing. "Autonomous, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft are real, and the UAS bar has been raised. Now I?m eager to see how high that bar will go." The Boeing Phantom Ray is a stealthy unmanned combat air vehicle being developed by Boeing using company funds. The Phantom Ray is a demonstrator aircraft, about the size of a fighter that will conduct a program of test flights involving surveillance, ground attack and autonomous aerial refueling missions. The Phantom Ray project, called "Project Reblue" internally at Boeing, was first conceptualized in mid-2007, and started in earnest in June 2008. The project was kept secret even within the company, except for a handful of executives and engineers, until May 2009.

Developed by the Boeing Phantom Works, the Phantom Ray is based on the X-45C prototype aircraft that Boeing originally developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)/U.S. Air Force/U.S. Navy Joint-Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) program. However, Phantom Ray is not aimed at any particular program or competition.

The Phantom Ray was unveiled on May 10, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. In late November 2010 low-speed taxi tests were carried out in St. Louis. The demonstrator aircraft is to perform 10 test flights over six months, supporting missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; hunter/killer; and autonomous aerial refueling. Boeing anticipates that the Phantom Ray will be the first of a series of new prototype aircraft.

The Phantom Ray was scheduled to make its first flight in December 2010 from NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, but this has been rescheduled to 2011. It was carried on a 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft from St. Louis on December 13, 2010 during a test flight. The 747 later carried the Phantom Ray to Edwards Air Force Base in preparation for its first flight. The UAV took its maiden flight on April 27, 2011 from Edwards AFB.

		Phantom Ray is one of several programs in Phantom Works, including Phantom Eye, that is part of a rapid prototyping initiative to design, develop and build advanced aircraft and then demonstrate their capabilities. Boeing's portfolio of UAS solutions also includes the A160T Hummingbird, Integrator, ScanEagle and SolarEagle. Other News Stories (For the latest news please checkout our home page) GE Deploys First Public Use RNP Flight Path In Alaska Singapore Airlines Faces Delivery Delays On Boeing 787 And Airbus A350 Sikorsky Aircraft Completes Active Rotor Wind Tunnel Testing Jack Pelton Steps Down As CEO From Cessna Aircraft First Workshop To Reduce Co2 Emissions From Aviation Underway UAE General Civil Aviation Authority Reports Air Traffic Up 9% Southwest Airlines Closes Acquisition Of AirTran FAA Initiatives At Ohio Airport Compromised Under GOP And DOT Pressure Lynden Man Blinded Border Patrol Helicopter Pilot Faces Jail Time Blue Angels Bring Recruits Into The Cockpit Atlas Air Expands Into Military Passenger Charter Service Osama Bin Laden Killed By U.S. Forces FAA Make Policy Change As Part Of Air Traffic Control Review APA Supports Changes To Address Controller Fatigue Federal Agents Arrest Airline Employees In International Drug Smuggling NTSB?s Airline Accident Report Shows Need For Rest Rules For All Airline Pilots Turkey Selects Sikorsky Aircraft For 109 Black Hawk Helicopter The U.S. Government?s Case Against Boeing KaiserAir, President Receives Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award Learjet 60 XR Aircraft On Tour Of Latin America And The Caribbean Boeing GPS Operational Control Segment Enters Service With US Air Force Atlas And Polar Air Cargo Pilots To Receive Groundbreaking Contract NASA Honors Pioneer Astronaut Alan Shepard With Moon Rock Flight Attendants Indict American Airlines Top Execs With ?Moral Contempt? WWII C-87 Liberator Express Airman Identified St. Louis International Airport Reopens After Level EF-4 Tornado Bush Era Alert System To Be Phased Out This Month A New C-130 The MC-130J Shadow II Completes First Flight FAA, ATC Supervisors To Handle Presidential And EXEC1F Flights SuperSonic Car On Track To Break The World Land Speed Record No Clear Winner, TSA Vote Leads To Runoff Election US Airways Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Sabre