X-47B Nails Key Launch and Land With Use of Wind River VxWorks

The X-47B lands aboard USS George H.W. Bush on 10 July. Photo courtesy U.S. Navy.

 

By Holly Gonzalez



Taking yet another step closer to carrier-based unmanned aviation, Northrop Grumman's X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator completed its first arrested landings aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) on 10 July.



The aircraft landed on the carrier as it was underway off the coast of Virginia. Previously the aircraft had taken off from the carrier and demonstrated touch-and-go, but not trap landings, on the deck.



"Today's historic carrier landing and our operations aboard USS George H.W. Bush show, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that tailless unmanned aircraft can integrate seamlessly and operate safely from an aircraft carrier at sea," said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, Navy UCAS program manager. "Beyond X-47B, this moment in history was made possible by an extremely disciplined and dedicated government-industry team that took a brand new unmanned combat air system from initial concept to highly successful demonstration in one of the most demanding operating environments in the world."

 

The landing used Wind River’s VxWorks real-time operating system software platform. Chip Downing, senior director of aerospace and defense for Wind River said, “Wind River is honored to be part of the UCAS-D industry team responsible for this groundbreaking military program, which is paving the way for the future of carrier-based autonomous systems technology.”