Message posted by loopbacktest4echo on July 12, 2010 at 21:17:03 PST:
Taranis is led by BAE Systems and also involves Rolls-Royce, GE Aviation Systems, QinetiQ and the Ministry of Defence. BAE Systems has overall design leadership as well as providing stealth technology, flight testing and control equipment. QinetiQ is responsible for UCAV flight autonomy and GE Aviation Systems provides electrical subsystems. The aircraft is expected to use a Rolls-Royce Adour Mk.951 turbofan. BAE Systems said "Taranis will make use of at least 10 years of research and development into low observables, systems integration, control infrastructure and full autonomy. It follows the completion of risk reduction activities to ensure the mix of technologies, materials and systems used are robust enough for the 'next logical step'. These "risk reduction activities" were related BAE programs including Replica, Nightjar I, Nightjar II, Kestrel, Corax, Raven and HERTI. BAE Systems Australia will have a workshare of about 5% in the program. The Taranis demonstrator will have a Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) of about 8,000 kilograms (18,000 lb) and be of a similar size to the BAE Hawk. The first steel was cut in September 2007 and assembly began in February 2008. Ground testing started in early 2009. On the 9th of January 2009 the MoD denied the Taranis had been flying near the site of a smashed wind turbine, after local people claimed to have seen a UFO. In July 2010 the Ministry of Defence formally unveiled its prototype, which is expected to to begin flight trials in 2011. The demonstrator will have two internal weapons bays. With the inclusion of "full autonomy" the intention is thus for this platform to be able to "think for itself" for a large part of the mission. The development of UAVs was a key part of the UK's Defence Industrial Strategy announced in December 2005, particularly the ability of the UK to maintain its "sovereign" aircraft and UAV/UCAV skills
In Reply to: Re: Our friends across the "pond" posted by reeb88 on July 12, 2010 at 20:43:52 PST:
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