Boeing provided a preview in St. Louis last Monday of a new weapon system concept called the Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV).

The event celebrated the completion of the manufacture and assembly of major elements of the UCAV advanced technology demonstration system, including the first of two unmanned air vehicles, a mission control console and a storage container.

The UCAV advanced technology demonstration system is being developed by the Boeing Phantom Works R&D division under a $131 million, 42-month cost-share agreement with the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA) and the US Air Force.

Awarded to Boeing in March 1999, the program is designed to prove the technological feasibility of multiple UCAVs autonomously performing extremely dangerous and high-priority combat missions to augment the manned fighter strike force. The first such mission envisioned is the suppression of enemy air defenses.

Because of their small size, lack of pilot interfaces and training requirements, reusability and long-term storage capability, UCAVs are projected to cost up to 65% less to produce than future manned fighter aircraft and up to 75% less to operate and maintain than current systems.

To perform a mission, multiple UCAVs will be equipped with preprogrammed objectives and preliminary targeting information by ground-based mission planners. This mission can then be carried out autonomously, but can also be managed interactively or revised en route by UCAV controllers should new objectives or targeting information dictate.

Upon return, the air vehicle can be immediately prepared for another mission, or it can be dismantled and placed into a container for shipment elsewhere or storage up to 10 years. Container interfaces allow for periodic maintenance monitoring and software updating of the vehicle inside, which can be reassembled and prepared for combat within an hour.

The UCAV air vehicle has a stealthy, tailless, 27-foot-long airframe with a 34-foot wingspan. It weighs 8,000 pounds (empty) and can carry a 3,000 pound payload. The reconfigurable mission control station has robust and secure satellite-relay and line-of-sight communications links for distributed control in all air combat situations.

Boeing said that if the demonstration program is successful, the DoD could employ UCAV weapon systems in the post-2010 time frame.