Military technologyPhantom Ray completes maiden flight
Phantom Ray, Boeing’s fighter-sized unmanned airborne system (UAS), took to the early morning skies on 27 April at Edwards Air Force Base in California for its maiden flight; Phantom Ray is one of several programs in Boeing’s Phantom Works division, including Phantom Eye, which is part of a rapid prototyping initiative to design, develop, and build advanced aircraft and then demonstrate their capabilities
Boeing's Phantom Ray UAS at hangar door // Source: darkgovernment.com
Phantom Ray, Boeing’s fighter-sized unmanned airborne system (UAS), took to the early morning skies on 27 April at Edwards Air Force Base in California for its maiden flight.
The 17-minute flight was deemed a success, and program manager, Craig Brown, celebrated this significant milestone with the Phantom Ray Team. “We were confident it would fly and perform well,” said Brown. “It feels great to have this first one under our belt.”
A Boeing release says that Phantom Ray took off at 9:05 a.m. Pacific and climbed to an altitude of 7,500 feet above mean sea level to demonstrate basic airworthiness. The unmanned aircraft, operating autonomously, gracefully banked and turned as it completed its racetrack flight path over the dry lake beds at Edwards.
“It was a beautiful sight,” said Teri Finchamp, Phantom Ray’s manufacturing lead. “I’ve been part of this program since the beginning, and while I’ve imagined this day a hundred times, nothing can compare to actually seeing the Phantom Ray in the air.”
Brown, a former U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot, said first flight went as smoothly as the March taxi tests. “Watching it taxi and now fly, I think with the autonomy we’ve demonstrated we are definitely seeing the future of unmanned flight,” said Brown.
Phantom Ray will conduct additional flights in the coming weeks. It is one of several programs in Boeing’s Phantom Works division, including Phantom Eye, which is part of a rapid prototyping initiative to design, develop, and build advanced aircraft and then demonstrate their capabilities. Boeing’s portfolio of UAS solutions also includes the A160T Hummingbird, Integrator, ScanEagle and SolarEagle.
