General Atomics began flight testing of the new, multi-mission jet-powered Predator C Avenger Unmanned Aerial System. The aircraft continued flight testing since its first flight in April 2009. A second, slightly larger Avenger is currently in production, scheduled to join the first aircraft later in 2010. With a 44-foot long fuselage, 66-foot wingspan, and 6,000 lb payload capacity, tail two will be slightly larger than tail one and will feature increased payload capacities. A third aircraft is also in production. The new Avenger is capable of flying at over 400 KTAS and can operate up to 50,000 feet for 20 hours. The Avenger’s avionics are based upon the battle-proven Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper.

“The test program for Avenger is proceeding along very well, with some results exceeding our expectations,” said Frank Pace, president, Aircraft Systems Group, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. The first aircrat ‘Tail one is currently averaging two to three flights a week, with the capacity to support a more aggressive schedule as range availability allows. Since May 2010 flight tests were transferred from GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., to Naval Air Station (NAS) China Lake, Calif., allowing increased envelope expansion. The aircraft has demonstrated the ability to be launched in only 30 to 45 minutes from hangar to flight. According to GA-ASI the test aircraft have demonstrated outstanding handling, confirming analytic models, simulations and wind tunnel results. The fuel burn rates also have been up to ten percent better than models had predicted, yielding increased endurance. Additionally, a new approach in the test process has reduced the number of flights required to ensure that the engine meets all operating constraints significantly.

“With the capability to perform manned aircraft missions, Avenger offers the war fighter unrivaled persistent situational awareness and strike mission affordability,” said J. Neal Blue, chairman and CEO, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. “For the cost of one manned fighter aircraft, multiple-swarm configured Avengers can blanket an area of interest, providing unprecedented 24/7 ISR coverage, target identification, and neutralization, mission flexibility, and attrition tolerance.”

Avenger is designed to perform high-speed, long-endurance, more covert, multi-mission Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and precision-strike missions over land or sea. It features a variety of internal weapons loads, including 2,000 lb Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), an Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor, and an all-weather GA-ASI Lynx Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI), maximizing both long loiter ISR and weapons carriage capabilities.

Avenger has drawn significant interest from both U.S. and allied forces and is a significant candidate for the United Kingdom’s upcoming SCAVENGER UAS Program. Utilizing proven systems and operating from the same, continually improving ground control stations as Predator and Reaper, it offers unique advantages in terms of performance, cost, timescale, and adaptability. The aircraft is capable of supporting coalition operations, in both benign and higher threat environments, and will ensure immediate NATO interoperability by working in tandem with Royal Air Force, U.S. Air Force, and Italian Air Force Predator-series aircraft.

Unlike other surveillance aircraft, the Air Tractor was built to be operated from farm fields and dirt roads, and maintained out of the back of a truck. Photo: CAV

The Air Tractor AT-802U today completed its Trans-Atlantic flight, from Newfoundland to the Azores to England, to display its new capabilities at the 2010 Farnborough Air Show. Air Tractor and Air Tractor Military Dealer CAV (Combined Air Ventures LLC) will display the aircraft and demonstrate its new electronics, sensors and weapons. The AT-802U prototype made its international debut last year at the Paris Air Show. This year at Farnborough the aircraft is displayed with a militarized cockpit, Wescam MX15Di stabilized EO sensor turret, integrated with large HD displays and the all-new glass cockpit. Real-time video can be transmitted directly to ground units using the L3 Rover datalink.

The Air Tractor 802U has a militarized cockpit, Wescam MX15Di stabilized EO sensor turret, integrated with large HD displays and the all-new glass cockpit. Real-time video can be transmitted directly to ground units using the L3 Rover datalink. Photo: CAV.

Unlike other surveillance aircraft, the Air Tractor was built to be operated from farm fields and dirt roads, and maintained out of the back of a truck. It has the capability to reduce the cost and footprint of military operations while bringing state-of-the-art sensors and weapons to remote and austere locations. The exceptional 10-hour time on station of the Air Tractor and the massive 8,000-pound useful load allow the aircraft to carry a wide range of sensors and weapons. Five optional weapons load out configurations, including four 500 or 1,000 pounds laser guided bombs and two GAU-19 multi-barrel 12.7mm guns with over 2,900 rounds, six Mini-Talon GPS-INS guided precision standoff attack weapons, four rocket pods loaded with 28 rockets, eight Hellfire missiles or a mixed load of four Hellfire and 16 DAGR laser guided rockets. CAV specializes in creating customized, low-cost, turnkey utility aircraft solutions for border and coastal patrol, surveillance, counter-insurgency, oil spill clean up, and a wide variety of other applications.

The Air Tractor 802 – the largest agricultural aircraft in production and the most successful single-engine firefighting aircraft offered an excellent starting point for the modification The Air Tractor 802 “U” version at Farnborough displays military capabilities previously only available in aircraft that cost 5-10 times more.

The U.S. Air Force specified a requirement for 100 Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) for which the AT-802U, AT -6 and Tuccano were considered, along with remanufactured vintage aircraft such as the OV-10. Back in 2009 LAAR was considered  for rapid  fielding by 2013; however at present no formal request for proposal emerged.   AT-802 are currently used by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for counter-narcotics operations.

The 1.93 m long Mini-Talon developed by Moog FTS is a 100 pound GPS/INS guided glide weapon. After the weapon is dropped from the aircraft it deploys its glide wings (1.91m' span) flying guided by GPS/INS to the target, Its warhead weighs about 12 kg. Its accuracy is believed to be within the 10 foot Circular Error Point (CEP). Photo: CAV

Taranis, the British new UCAV concept demonstrator named after the Celtic god of thunder, will take to the air next year (2011). Photo: British MOD

The British Ministry of Defence (MOD) unveiled today the Taranis Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) prototype at Warton, in Lancashire, U.K. MOD has invested £143 million pounds in this concept demonstrator. Taranis, named after the Celtic god of thunder, will take to the air next year (2011), testing autonomous, stealthy UCAV technologies leading the way for potential development of a British UCAV platform toward the end of the decade (2018-2020). These capabilities could be utilized in the development of future autonomous, uninhibited strike platforms capable of precisely striking targets at long range, even in another continent. The program is lead by MOD, and supported by a British industry team including the platform developer BAE Systems, engine manufacturer Rolls Royce, avionics systems provider GE Aviation and software application developer QinetiQ.

“Taranis has been three and a half years in the making and is the product of more than a million man-hours. It represents a significant step forward in this country’s fast-jet capability” said Nigel Whitehead, Group managing director of BAE Systems’ Programmes & Support business, “This technology is key to sustaining a strong industrial base and to maintain the UK’s leading position as a centre for engineering excellence and innovation.”

Taranis is a key program in the UK MOD’s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Project Team which has replaced the previous Strategic Unmanned Air Vehicle (Experimental) Programme [SUAV(E)] and Future Offensive Air System (FOAS) projects.

Read more on the Taranis program, and view larger, close-up photos – on defense-update.com