Northrop Grumman unveils optionally manned Firebird

摘要

Northrop Grumman's Advanced Technology and Concept Division revealed a new optionally manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform ahead of its participation in the US Joint Forces Command 'Empire Challenge 2011' exercise held from 23 May to 3 June at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. The new air vehicle (AV), desig nated Firebird, is capable of oper ating up to four discrete payloads simultaneously, and its ability to carry a pilot overcomes the 'flight through civilian airspace' problems encountered by conventional un manned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Firebird was designed, built and tested by airframe specialist Scaled Composites.