SAIC Demonstrates Live-Fire from Vigilante VTOL UAV
(Source: SAIC International; issued March 2, 2005)
MCLEAN, Va. --- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) today announced the successful live-fire of four 2.75" unguided rockets from its Vigilante VTOL UAV (Vertical Takeoff and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) system during flight testing conducted at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground.
Conducted on December 13 and 14, 2004, the rocket firing demonstration represents an aviation first as they were executed while the Vigilante system and its payload was under air-to-air control from a control console installed aboard a UH-1N Huey helicopter flying a loose formation on the Vigilante system.
Teaming with prime contractor and Vigilante system co-developer Advanced Technologies Incorporated (ATI), SAIC conducted the live-fire rocket tests under the Armed VTOL UAV Testbed Integrator contract for the U.S. Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD), in Fort Eustis, Va.
AATD's objectives for this program were to use their Vigilante system platform, developed with AATD as a vehicle for demonstrating UAV technologies, to investigate the platform and manned-unmanned teaming issues associated with weapons engagements from Class III UAVs.
The flight test team, including personnel from the Army's AATD, Yuma Proving Ground, ATI and SAIC, executed the test sequence as planned during the two-week deployment. The first three shots were performed at 30, 35, and 40 knots at a 400-foot altitude while the last firing was at 40 knots at a 250- foot altitude.
Based on results from the launch, reaction forces were less than those anticipated based on simulation models. The relatively low cost of the program also demonstrates the ability of the Vigilante system to serve as a cost-effective and flexible test platform. This demonstration also enables the team to further explore the collaboration of manned and unmanned systems.
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