Phantom flights

Boeing has announced plans to develop and demonstrate an unmanned flying test bed for advanced air system technologies.

The programme, known as Phantom Ray, will make use of a prototype vehicle that Boeing originally intended for the Joint-Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) programme.

The vehicle will conduct 10 flights over a period of around six months and is scheduled to make its first flight at the end of 2010. Potential supporting missions could include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic attack and autonomous aerial refuelling.

To meet its 2010 target, Boeing Phantom Works is using rapid-prototyping techniques. Dave Koopersmith, vice-president of Boeing Advanced Military Aircraft, explained: ‘What is particularly exciting about Phantom Ray is that we will incorporate the latest technologies into the superb X-45C airframe design. As we gradually expand the vehicle's flight envelope, potential users will have access to a full range of unique capabilities that only this type of autonomous platform can provide.’