X-45A in flight. Dryden photo.

The Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program is a joint DARPA/Air Force/Navy effort to demonstrate the technical feasibility, military utility and operational value for a networked system of high performance, weaponized unmanned air vehicles to effectively and affordably prosecute 21st century combat missions, including suppression of enemy air defenses, surveillance, and precision strike within the emerging global command and control architecture. One of the aircraft systems being evaluated is the Boeing X-45A. NASA Dryden is providing technical expertise and facilities for the X-45A flight test program.

The Dryden Flight Research Center role in the UCAV program has been to provide technical expertise and hanger space for the UCAV X-45A under a 1999 agreement with DARPA and The Boeing Company. The X-45A is the first of two UCAV demonstration versions that will be used in advance of fielding operational systems around 2008.

Project Goals

The project's goal is to demonstrate that a highly autonomous aircraft can be used for suppressing enemy air defenses or in a strike role. Dryden's participation in the UCAV System Demonstration Program is to support the DARPA/Boeing team in the design, development, integration, and demonstration of the critical technologies, processes, and system attributes leading to a UCAV Operational System. Initially, Dryden will support events in the X-45A demonstrator system in demonstration. Blocks one through three which includes analysis, component development, simulations, ground tests and flight tests.

*Courtesy DARPA