Switchblade (airplane)

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Image of Switchblade in oblique position by John MacNeill

Image of Switchblade in conventional position by John MacNeill

The Switchblade is a proposed unmanned aerial vehicle being developed by Northrop Grumman for the United States.

It is scheduled for 2020 and will cruise with its 61 meters long oblique wing perpendicular to its engines like a typical airplane. As the craft breaks the sound barrier, its wing will swivel 60 degrees so that one wingtip points forward and the other backward. The change in aerodynamics and the general structure makes the plane very difficult to control for a human being. The plane is totally controlled by an onboard computer, which handles appropriately all the parameters needed for maintaining a stable flight during the mission.

Parameters

• Objective: To function efficiently as both an endurance aircraft and as a supersonic airplane by changing its shape midflight
• Time Frame: Design by 2007; one-fifth-scale technology demonstration vehicle by 2010; ready for service as early as 2020
• Wingspan: 61 meters
• Range: about 9000 kilometers (5,000 nautical miles)
• Max. Altitude: 18 kilometers (60,000 feet)
• Max. Speed: Mach 2

See also

• Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
• History of unmanned aerial vehicles
• Flying wing
• Northrop Switchblade for an earlier manned concept plane

Active U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle models

• RQ-1 Predator
• RQ-2 Pioneer
• RQ-3 Dark Star
• RQ-4 Global Hawk
• RQ-5 Hunter
• RQ-6 Outrider
• RQ-7 Shadow
• RQ-8 Fire Scout
• RQ-9 Predator B

External links

• [Popular Science: Switchblade]

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