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| canister-launched UAV for E/A-18 upgrade |
Northrop Grumman is partnering with composites manufacturer VX Aerospace on a canister-launched unmanned air vehicle that could fly on the US Navy’s updated Boeing E/A-18G Growler.
The Office of Naval Research funded an October flight test that demonstrated the Dash X, a 3.66m (12ft)-long folding UAV, could collect and share electronic warfare information in flight with a manned aircraft.
Northrop modified a Bombardier Dash 8 with a sensor suite, which directed the UAV to change missions and locations in real time during the experiment. Northrop’s first experiment marked a shore-based test and will tackle aircraft separation in the next funding phase.