X-47 Pegasus

The Northrop Grumman X-47A Pegasus is a demonstration Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle. The X-47 is part of DARPA's J-UCAS project.

Unlike the Boeing X-45, Pegasus development was company-funded. The initial vehicle carries the designation X-47A; a follow-on Naval version is designated X-47B.

The proof-of-concept X-47A vehicle was built under contract by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites at the Mojave Spaceport. The roll out ceremony at Mojave was in July 2001 and the first flight was successfully completed in February 2003. The program was terminated on January 13, 2006 as part of the US Military's Quadrennial Defense Review.

X-47A rollout

X-47B over sea (CG concept)

Specifications (X-47A)

General characteristics

• Crew: none
• Length: 19 ft 7 in (8.50 m)
• Wingspan: 19 ft 6 in (8.47 m)
• Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.86 m)
• Wing area: ft² (m²)
• Empty weight: 3,836 lb (1,740 kg)
• Loaded weight: 4,877 lb (2,212 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,903 lb (2,678 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5C (X-45A)
  Pratt & Whitney F100-220 (X-45B) turbofan, 3,190 lb_f (14.2 kN)

Performance

• Maximum speed: mph (km/h)
• Cruise speed: mph (km/h)
• Range: miles (km)
• Service ceiling: ft (m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min (m/s)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.65

Armament

None

Northrop Grumman X-47B