In the US, another test took place “drone with a pilot” Firebird

Manned Firebird

In the USA, another test of the promising optionally manned reconnaissance aircraft Firebird (Firebird) took place. Specialists from Northrop Grumman tested the aircraft with a quick change of on-board equipment.

According to the company, during the tests, the aircraft made four flights lasting more than 10 hours each, having completed several reconnaissance missions, during which it collected intelligence, searched for people, found gunpoints and carried out mapping. Tests were conducted at the San Diego training ground in California.

The first flight of the optionally manned Northrop Grumman Firebird took place in February 2010, and later a closed demonstration was held for Pentagon officials. According to the developers, the successful completion of the test cycle that is currently underway can lead to mass production of this machine.

Unmanned version of Firebird

Firebird has a wingspan of 19,8 m, a hull length of 10,3 m. The maximum lift height is 9 km, the time spent in the air in an unmanned version is from 24 to 40 hours. Speed ​​- 250 km / h, maximum - up to 370 km / h. The maximum weight of the cargo is 562 kg. Flight range - up to 2,5 thousand kilometers. The device is equipped with both an internal compartment for equipment and external suspension points for container reconnaissance systems.

In the field, reworking from an unmanned to a manned version (and vice versa) takes only four hours, and a change of reconnaissance modules takes about 30 minutes. The main purpose is reconnaissance.

The company notes that due to the simple and robust design, Firebird can be used on aerodromes with poor coverage.

Comments

[Grazdanin]

The motto of VO seems to be: Not a day without an UAV!

[Vladimir16]

Why do not our military give their own names to foreign weapons?

This rubbish can be called Ghoul.

So it would be clear who opposes us.

And it will be easy for a soldier - He knocked down a ghoul and calmly in his soul. He did a charitable deed.

[Vladimir16]

There is a group of people who are constantly looking for adventure on their ass.
For such you can organize extreme tourism.
Put this in this unit and send it on a combat mission.
Only make a special version with a completely naked capsule. Without control systems.
And in the chair is a toilet.
The cost of the flight will be for the passenger equal to the real cost of the flight of the device.
Business. Nothing personal.
I think such a fun for the possessed just right.

[PSih2097]

Quote: Vladimir16

This rubbish can be called Ghoul.

no, "Rama 2", especially since it looks like Rama ...

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: Vladimir16

This rubbish can be called Ghoul.

Why rubbish? A good device, according to its performance characteristics.
Sorry we do not have something like that. On would hurt.

[HMR333]

Useless! There’s nothing you can’t remove from such a height, but to go down below so why is it needed then with its performance characteristics huge as for a UAV there are a bunch of smaller UAVs and smaller ones

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: HMR333

Useless! There’s nothing to be removed from such a height

Your camera of course can’t really take anything off. But I hope the MO will have better equipment.

[Mikle2000]

For radar surveys, on the contrary, the very thing. The review is large, the resolution on the range is weakly dependent (if only there is enough energy), fly and shoot at least in the clouds at least at night.

[Sanichsan]

good for what? chase the Papuans? with a speed of 250 km / h and a ceiling of 9 km, it is an ideal target even for the less advanced Houthis.

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: SanichSan

good for what? Papuans drive?

No, you have to drive the Papuans, and he is a scout. To find, for example, the positions of tactical missile systems, artillery, the accumulation of armored vehicles, etc., to discover the reserves of the adversary in the rear.

[Sanichsan]

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

No, you have to drive the Papuans, and he is a scout. To find, for example, the positions of tactical missile systems, artillery, the accumulation of armored vehicles, etc., to discover the reserves of the adversary in the rear.

in the air defense coverage area? Seriously? to discover? only in the dreams of couch theorists!
Amer’s won tried to detect in Iran and immediately broke

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: SanichSan

in the air defense coverage area? Seriously? to discover? belay only in the dreams of couch theorists! soldier
Amer’s won tried to detect in Iran and immediately broke

That's for sure. The defense ministries of all countries are adopting reconnaissance drones due to the fact that all of them, the defense ministers, are couch strategists.
You tell Shoigu, let him remove all UAVs from armament. Why are they? After all, wherever there are troops, there is an air defense zone. All the same, they beat everyone. Yes, and also remove the aviation, all. Air Defense Zone, Panimash.

[Sanichsan]

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

That's for sure. The defense ministries of all countries are adopting reconnaissance drones due to the fact that all of them, the defense ministers, are couch strategists.

Of course not. for use in areas not covered by air defense, that is, as I wrote earlier, to drive the Papuans.

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

You tell Shoigu, let him remove all UAVs from armament.

unlike you, Shoigu is smart enough to focus on small drones whose loss is not critical.

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

Yes, and also remove the aviation, all. Air Defense Zone, Panimash.

and clean. didn't you know it from your couch? out in 2008, a theorist like you sent Tu22M3 to reconnaissance and was shot down. even the Georgians could. the truth after that sharply came to their senses and began to suppress air defense. didn’t you know about it?

PS
for the good of the country, go to the American forum to advise.
PS PS
this project has a profit in the form of interchangeable equipment. it can be produced as a civilian for sale in large quantities and, in case of war, mobilized and converted into a drone. such a scheme with SUVs is organized. I repeat, as a drone is a consumable and in the air defense zone it does not scout anything.

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: SanichSan

I repeat, as a drone is a consumable item and in the air defense zone it does not scout anything.

In Moscow Region they think differently. Probably not up to your heights.

[Sanichsan]

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

In Moscow Region they think differently. Probably not up to your heights.

Which MO sends planes to the air defense coverage area? your fictional?
I already wrote to you, your theses are very valuable! on American forums

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: SanichSan

Which MO sends planes to the air defense coverage area? your fictional?

You are so smart that you even lost the thread of conversation. In fact, it was about reconnaissance UAVs (the topic of the article).
About the "air defense zone". And where is she not? Unless, some parts of the Siberian taiga have not yet been covered by it. The situation is very similar for the opponents. And, despite this, everyone is developing reconnaissance UAVs. And the drummers too. Stupid, I guess. Unlike you.

[Sanichsan]

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

You are so smart that you even lost the thread of conversation. In fact, it was about reconnaissance UAVs (the topic of the article).

planes you dragged. I answered.
on the UAV, the Turks adhered to your ideas, but having lost 14 UAVs, they changed their opinion to an adequate

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

And, despite this, everyone is developing intelligence UAVs. And the drummers too. Stupid, probably. Unlike you.

they are not. they drive the Papuans. remember where it started?

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

No, you will have to drive the Papuans, and he is a scout.

and so, in the air defense coverage area, an aircraft with a speed of 250 km / h and a ceiling of 9 km cannot reconnoiter anything. it’s just recycling the drone. and where to apply it? where there is no air defense. who has no air defense? among the most retarded.

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: SanichSan

use? where there is no air defense. who has no air defense? the most backward.

Is our Defense Ministry going to drive the Papuans?
Here is the information on the next branch - Mo is going to adopt a helicopter-type UAV.

[Sanichsan]

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

Is our Defense Ministry going to drive the Papuans?

and in Syria, who do you think they drive? the color of civilization?

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

Here is the information on the next branch - Mo is going to adopt a helicopter-type UAV.

quite right. I wrote about small drones. not? don't remember it is a consumable. I will reveal to you a terrible secret! there is some difference between sending a UAV to the danger zone for 50000 rubles and sending a UAV there for $ 2000000. in about 2 lema greens. and the result is the same. downed drone.

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: SanichSan

quite right. I wrote about small drones.

I remember writing. He also wrote that he would be knocked down in an instant. He will not even have time to transmit intelligence information. And yet the Ministry of Defense orders it.
Probably so that the adversary's air defense men have fun. Well, following your logic, of course.
And according to my logic - they will shoot down something, something not, and they will provide valuable intelligence information. As my late father, a front-line soldier, used to say - "In the war, not without a dead man." Such is the salavi.
And listen to you like this - they will certainly knock you down, all 100%, they will not even have time to fly up. Calm down already.

[Sanichsan]

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

And according to my logic - they will shoot down something, something not, and they will provide valuable intelligence information. As my late father, a front-line soldier, used to say - "In the war, not without a dead man." Such is the salavi.

in! another thing! finally sound thoughts! now go back to my words about the difference between a drone for 50000 rubles and 2 lama greens.
a drone for millions of dollars is not at all for "one in 100 to see something." there are not hundreds of them, even the United States has several dozen of them. for their use, it is necessary to suppress air defense or apply where there is no air defense.
the Turks decided to use your "brilliant" tactics and their drones ran out in 2 days

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: SanichSan

in! another thing! finally sound thoughts!

So by default it was clear about this, but it comes to you with difficulty, if at all.
By the way, the more difficult, and therefore more expensive, the device is, the more difficult it is to bring it down. Or will you, according to your habit, argue for the sake of an argument, will you also argue?

[Sanichsan]

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

So by default it was clear about this, but it comes to you with difficulty, if at all.

once again for those who are having a hard time ...
a drone for 2 lyamas is not something they send so that they see something and fall. there are several dozen of them, not hundreds. This is not a consumable, but a valuable technique. in an article about the heavy expensive drone. this drone will work only in the absence of air defense or their fleet will end in 2 days like the Turks.

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

By the way, the more difficult, and therefore more expensive, the apparatus, the more difficult it is to knock it down.

just nonsense. the cost of the drone is determined by the filling, that is, reconnaissance equipment. yes, it is very expensive.
now concentrate, gather your thoughts and try to figure out how expensive surveillance equipment will affect a rocket flying into a drone? will add another 250 to 2000KM / H or throw up a couple of dozen KM of the ceiling? Or do you think that the anti-aircraft gunners on the radar see the tsenik and if the drone is prohibitively expensive then they will not shoot?

[Krasnoyarsk]

Quote: SanichSan

unmanned aerial vehicle for 2 lam

Again, yes because, yes therefore. This song is good, start over.
I'm sick of you.
F-35 is even more expensive, plus a pilot. There is no point in releasing them either. because - anti-aircraft defense and anti-aircraft missile anyway what price and what expensive stuffing. He asked - calm down already, take a cold shower and go to bed.

[Sanichsan]

Quote: Krasnoyarsk

F-35 is even more expensive, plus a pilot. There is no point in releasing them either. because - the air defense and the air defense missile do not care what the price and what the expensive filling.

and they do not fly where there is air defense. the experience of the expensive F-117 taught something
Once again, how high will this low-speed aircraft save from a rocket? if he blurted out, then be kind enough to formulate, or is it all the same nonsense blinded?

[Mikle2000]

Actually, the question of the ratio of exchange is always a question. How much exactly is the anti-aircraft battery that will destroy drones before it dies from the strike induced by these suicide bombers.

[tralflot1832]

Why a pilot? Or they are waiting for sanctions from China to ban the supply of electronic components for remote control of UAVs. Then everything is clear who depends on whom in electronics.

[Free wind]

My inquiring mind haunts me. The average speed is 250 km / h. The flight time is 24-40 hours, at least the flight range is 5500 km., And not 2500 km. It is written about the flight range.

[Grazdanin]

The average speed is distillation, over the place of barrage, the speed is reduced to a minimum. Characteristics in the news are written crookedly.

[Pereira]

Hope a fridge, pot and bed are included? 24-40 hours for one pilot is cool.

[Grazdanin]

airborne time in unmanned variant indicated from 24 to 40 hours.

[Pereira]

Putting a pilot in such an airplane for 40 minutes is ridiculous.

[tralflot1832]

They are included in the package. Did they forget JACUZZI? But as in the old Soviet joke: And now let's see how we all take off with this !!!

[Revolver]

Quote: Pereira

Hope a fridge, pot and bed are included? 24-40 hours for one pilot is cool.

Which pot? Diapers. So that my wet childhood remembered. Suhpay, thermos. And sleep in a chair.

[HMR333]

You sit in a chair for 24 hours without the opportunity to get up to walk and stretch yourself and then write!

[Revolver]

Firstly, I’m asking you not to poke, you and I did not drink. Secondly, it’s not about getting up and walking, but about satisfying physiological needs. Thirdly, they don’t pay me for sitting in a chair, so I’m not going to try. Fourth, who said that in manned mode they are going to fly at full duration?

[Knell wardenheart]

Hmm .. they are likely to consider options in case of inability of their satellite constellation to perform their task in full or in part and / or in conflicts with the active use of electronic warfare.
Although all this is possible and more mundane - options are being developed for compact aircraft for sabotage operations ..

[Grazdanin]

Rather, it’s just a technology demonstrator, is it possible, what are the problems, so it’s exactly what will go into the series, definitely not. For a citizen, it might make sense, by the way.
And to make a fighter with which you can use in manned or unmanned mode simply replacing the cockpit is interesting. Moreover, this is one of the criteria of the 6th generation. But you have to start training on “cats”

[Grazdanin]

Boeing does something similar for an Australian UAV escort. Different head modules for different tasks.

[Lopatov]

Quote: Knell Wardenheart

and / or in conflicts with the active use of electronic warfare.

It’s just a matter of time for the appearance of serious RED complexes even among different kinds of “slippers”.

[evgen1221]

Testing ideas in practice as with the x series of aircraft.

[tralflot1832]

Everything is simple with the pilot export option, without a pilot for yourself.

[HMR333]

What a crazy heading! A drone with a pilot is a contradiction! Why would a pilot in an unmanned scout with such performance characteristics be bullshit to lose a pilot ?! For pilots, there is a plane with special equipment pendants if it counts, and let the drone itself fly without risk to the pilot and they are created for that!

[Pandiurin]

Quote: HMR333

What a crazy heading! A drone with a pilot is a contradiction!

To plant a "body" with a bulbulizer and charged crack into the cockpit and teach how to shout a banzai. A worthy answer to all future promising electronic warfare.