New UAV With or Without a Human Pilot

[Doug Robertson]

When I first saw the photo of this new aircraft, I instinctively thought it a Burt Rutan design from Scaled Composites in Mojave, California. I was right. Northrop Grumman Corp. purchased Burt's Scaled Composites some time ago and the new Northrop Grumman (built at the Scaled Composites Division) FIREBIRD UAV is one of Burt's last designs before his April 2011 retirement.

The FIREBIRD UAV drone is not unique in having live pilot capability, despite the local news article's claim. The US Navy's Point Mugu for years used North American Aviation F-86 drones that were always piloted by a live onboard pilot to San Nicholas Island from NAS Point Mugu. Then, from launch at SNI they were NOLO aircraft (No Live Operator). They also were always returned to Point Mugu's runways using a live onboard pilot. That is to say, if they were not shot down during live missile firing exercises on the Point Mugu Sea Test Range.

The new FIREBIRD has wingspan of 65 feet, length 34 feet with height of 9.7 feet. Top speed is about 230 mph. Top altitude of 30,000 feet. Maximum endurance is 40 hours from a single pusher engine on central large pod. Two outboard long booms carry the joined tail structure which is two vertical rudders joined at their top to arching two plane elevators joined at the wide continuous center tail structure. The arch leaves the control surfaces above the propwash, apparently. The FIREBIRD is being touted mainly as a unarmed spy plane, it would have the capability to carry and launch missiles, like the PREDATOR and REAPER drones with HELLFIRE missiles and laser-guided bombs. The FIREBIRD is adaptable to many recon and surveillance missions, as well as strike missions.

Testing of the massive aircraft, resembling a large dragonfly, has been undertaken by Northrop Grumman at Mojave MHV. Tri-gear is retractable. Many sensors and antennas are on the lower fuselage pod, with two more on the booms' under-surface.

The N number of the test FIREBIRD is N355SX, as it is a company funded venture hoping to get a government production contract. The FIREBIRD will fly a demo this month for military brass during the Pentagon's Empire Challenge, a showcase where defense firms demonstrate military technologies that can be deployed in the near term.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. of San Diego, California makes the PREDATOR and REAPER UAVs, so Socal seems to have an edge on US military UAVs. See the Predator UAV among my photos here.