Contact: Brooks McKinney, APR

(310) 331-6610 office

(310) 864-3785 mobile
brooks.mckinney@ngc.com

Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D)

The U.S. Navy’s UCAS-D program is designed to demonstrate the ability of a tailless,
fighter-sized unmanned aircraft to land on and be launched from the flight deck of a
Navy aircraft carrier underway at sea, one of the harshest aviation environments known
to man.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), a leader in unmanned systems, serves as

the Navy’s prime contractor for the UCAS-D program, which is managed by U.S. Naval
Air Systems Command (NAVAIR).

Under contract awarded in Aug. 2007, Northrop Grumman designed, produced and is
currently flight testing two tailless, autonomous, low-observable-relevant aircraft
designated the X-47B. The company will use these aircraft to demonstrate two “firsts”
for unmanned jet-powered aviation:

• autonomous carrier operations including launch, recovery and operations in the

carrier control area (out to 50 nautical miles); and
• autonomous aerial refueling, including the Air Force’s preferred
“boom/receptacle” approach and the Navy’s “probe and drogue” method.

The two X-47B aircraft are identical except that one is designed to accommodate the
hardware required to perform aerial refueling. Both aircraft are designed with space,
weight and power provisions for weapons and intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance sensors, but no weapons or sensor demonstrations are included in the
UCAS-D program.

Test activities are currently underway that will lead to completion of the Navy's carrier
launch and recovery objectives by 2013. The autonomous aerial refueling
demonstrations are planned for 2014.

The Navy’s UCAS-D program is intended to reduce risks associated with developing
potential future unmanned, carrier-compatible systems.

Northrop Grumman Corporation

2980 Fairview Park Drive • Falls Church, VA 22042-4511
www.northropgrumman.com/media
UCAS-D Fact Sheet/Page 2

Smart, Autonomous Air System

X-47B is a computer-controlled unmanned aircraft system that takes off, flies a
preprogrammed mission, then returns to base in response to mouse clicks from its
mission operator. The mission operator monitors the X-47B air vehicle’s operation, but
does not actively “fly” it via remote control as is the case for other unmanned systems
currently in operation.

Northrop Grumman’s UCAS-D industry team includes Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed
Martin, GKN Aerospace, Eaton, General Electric, UTC Aerospace Systems, Dell,
Honeywell, Moog, Wind River, Parker Aerospace and Rockwell Collins.

Northrop Grumman Corporation

2980 Fairview Park Drive • Falls Church, VA 22042-4511
www.northropgrumman.com/media
UCAS-D Fact Sheet/Page 3

Program History/Milestones Achieved

Date Event Location

Aug. 2007 Northrop Grumman selected by NAVAIR as the San Diego, Calif.
UCAS-D prime contractor

July 2009 Structural Proof Testing – First X-47B (Air Palmdale, Calif.
Vehicle 1)
Oct. 2009 Completion of Air Vehicle 1 (AV-1) - Palmdale, Palmdale, Calif.
Calif.
Jan. 2010 Low Speed Taxi – AV-1 Palmdale, Calif.

May 2010 Medium Speed Taxi – AV-1 Palmdale, Calif.

July 2010 Move AV-1 to Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), Palmdale/EAFB
Calif.
Jan 2011 Structural Proof Testing Complete – Second X- Palmdale, Calif.
47B (AV-2 )

Feb. 2011 High Speed Taxi – AV-1 EAFB, Calif.

Feb. 2011 First Flight, AV-1 EAFB, Calif.

March 2011 Beginning of Envelope Expansion – AV-1 EAFB, Calif.

March 2011 Move AV-2 to Edwards AFB Palmdale/EAFB

July 2011 First autonomous carrier arrested landing by USS Dwight D

manned surrogate emulating X-47B Eisenhower
(CVN-69) at sea

July 2011 Completion of AV-1 preplanned software, EAFB, Calif.

hardware upgrades

Sept 2011 First flight in “cruise configuration” (landing gear EAFB, Calif.
up)

Nov 2011 Completion of flight test “envelope expansion” EAFB, Calif.

Nov 2011 First Flight, Air Vehicle 2 (AV-2) EAFB, Calif.

Northrop Grumman Corporation

2980 Fairview Park Drive • Falls Church, VA 22042-4511
www.northropgrumman.com/media
UCAS-D Fact Sheet/Page 4

Dec 2011 Transition AV-1 to Naval Air Station, Patuxent USA

River, Md.

May 2012 First autonomous wave-off, first touch-and-go EAFB, Calif.

landing by a UAV (AV-2)

May 2012 Completion of X-47B Edwards AFB Flight Test EAFB, Calif.
Program

June 2012 Transition AV-2 to Naval Air Station Patuxent USA

River, Md.

July 2012 First flight of X-47B at NAS Patuxent River NAS Patuxent
River, Md.

Nov 2012 Completion of shore-based testing of wireless, NAS Patuxent

handheld Control Display Unit (used for River, Md.
precision deck handling of X-47B)

Nov 2012 First shore-based catapult of X-47B NAS Patuxent

River, Md.

Nov 2012 Hoist-aboard of X-47B onto USS Harry S. NAS Norfolk, Va.
Truman (CVN-75) for deck handling trials

Dec 2012 First taxi of X-47B aboard a ship under way USS Harry S.
Truman (CVN-75)

###

Approved 12/19/12 for Public Release

NAVAIR 2012-1330; NGAS 2012-2330

Northrop Grumman Corporation

2980 Fairview Park Drive • Falls Church, VA 22042-4511
www.northropgrumman.com/media