Boeing first unveiled a near-complete version of its Phantom
Ray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) nearly
a year ago. This week, the company announced that its Phantom Ray has
completed its first flight.
The first flight lasted for 17 minutes during which the
Phantom Ray reached a maximum altitude of 7,500 feet and a top speed of 178
knots.
The program is being completely funded by Boeing, and the
first test flight's primary goals were to test fight characteristics of the
aircraft. The company also notes that future mission parameters for the
aircraft could include strike operations and autonomous in-air refueling.
The Boeing Phantom Ray is 36 feet long and has a wingspan of
50 feet. The maximum
takeoff weight for the aircraft is 36,500 pounds and is powered by a single
GE F404-GE-102D
engine.
"Autonomous, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft are
real," said Phantom Ray program manager Craig Brown. "The UAS bar has
been raised. Now I’m eager to see how high that bar will go."
