Message posted by Joshua Nyhus on August 20, 2004 at 12:24:48 PST:

PALMDALE - Northrop Grumman Corp. will build three unmanned X-47B
aircraft and their associated systems under a $1 billion contract
awarded Wednesday.

The X-47B system will include integrated sensors, communication,
navigation equipment and low-observability features - commonly known
as stealth - along with a common operating system to meet the needs
of the Air Force and Navy.

The X-47B is a follow-on to Northrop's X-47A Pegasus aircraft, which
conducted flight tests in February 2003. That aircraft was built
under an earlier project to design an unmanned combat system for the
Navy alone

A second aircraft in the J-UCAS program, the Boeing-built X-45A, is
undergoing flight test at Edwards Air Force Base.

agatlin@avpress.com

© 2004 Antelope Valley Press, Palmdale, California (661) 273-2700

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