Northrop Grumman X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator
The Northrop Grumman X-47B is the United States Navy Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator, a tailless autonomous aircraft developed to demonstrate carrier suitability for unmanned aviation. NAVAIR and Pratt & Whitney identify the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220U as the X-47B's engine. It completed autonomous carrier landings, land-based catapult launches, and aerial refueling tests, providing a technology foundation for future carrier-based unmanned surveillance and strike systems rather than an operational fleet aircraft.
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Identity
- Aliases
- X-47BX-47B UCAS-DX-47B PegasusUnmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator
- Family Name
- Northrop Grumman X-47B
- Full Name
- Northrop Grumman X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator
- Roles
- militaryresearchexperimentaltechnology_demonstrator
- Status
- retired
- Type
- aircraft
- Variant Name
- X-47B
Details
- Aircraft Specs
- Configuration
- fixed_wing
- Operating Modes
- landwater
- Takeoff Landing Capabilities
- conventional
- Description
- The Northrop Grumman X-47B is the United States Navy Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator, a tailless autonomous aircraft developed to demonstrate carrier suitability for unmanned aviation. NAVAIR and Pratt & Whitney identify the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220U as the X-47B's engine. It completed autonomous carrier landings, land-based catapult launches, and aerial refueling tests, providing a technology foundation for future carrier-based unmanned surveillance and strike systems rather than an operational fleet aircraft.
- Dimensions
- Wingspan
- …
- First Flight Year
- 2,011
- Manufacturer
- Propulsion Configurations
- Entries
- Count
- 1
- Placement
- airframe
- Propulsion System
- Role
- main
- Stage
- airframe
- Variant Notes
- One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220U turbofan installed on the X-47B UCAS-D demonstrator.
- Name
- Northrop Grumman X-47B F100-PW-220U installation
- Notes
- NAVAIR identifies PW F100-PW-220U as the X-47B engine, and Pratt & Whitney states that its F100-PW-220U engine and exhaust systems power the aircraft. The relationship records one installed airframe engine; carrier launch/recovery equipment and any X-47A powerplant remain outside this propulsion entry.
Links
- Official Url
- https://www.navair.navy.mil/node/16026
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 15, 2026 at 22:07:47 UTC
- Updated Time
- September 7, 2026 at 23:43:53 UTC