UNMANNED COMBAT AIR VEHICLES
The United States Navy is rapidly moving towards vastly increased use of autonomous, unmanned aircraft systems due to their smaller size, increased endurance, and improved safety because we don’t always have to put human assets into harm’s way during a warfighting engagement. PRNAM has spent years acquiring a wide variety of actual UAS aircraft assets that you can get a close look at for yourself.
Our exhibit also features a variety of hand-launched UAS systems and smaller footprint vehicles that are launched from a variety of shipborne platforms.
X-47A Pegasus UCAV
The Pegasus was rolled out on July 30, 2001. It first flew on February 23, 2003, at the US Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake, California.
The X-47A flight test program (2003-2006) contributed greatly to the success of the follow-on X-47B “Iron Raven”, that became the first UAV to trap autonomously on an aircraft carrier at sea in 2013 and refuel autonomously in flight in 2015.
Bell Eagle Eye VUAS
The museum aircraft shown here is the 2nd model TR911X and the sole surviving Eagle Eye. It was used for 29 Navy demonstration flights between Nov. 1993 and June 1994, including 10 flights conducted at NAS Pax River. In 1998, it was flown for 55.5 hours during the unmanned air vehicle (VUAV) demonstration. After completion of Navy sponsored testing, it was painted Coast Guard colors to support development of the model HV-911.
QH-50 Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH)
The DASH was originally designed to carry the MK-57 nuclear depth charge. This helicopter was tested as a drone gunship at NAS Patuxent River and was fitted with a GAU-2B-A Gatling gun.
