X-47B Pegasus

The X-47B Pegasus is a tailless, low-observable unmanned combat aircraft technology demonstrator developed by Northrop Grumman under the U.S. Navy’s UCAS-D programme. It was designed to test technologies for future carrier-based unmanned aircraft rather than serve as an operational production UAV.

One of Pegasus’s main contributions was demonstrating that procedures developed for manned carrier aircraft could be adapted to an autonomous unmanned platform. The X-47B tested catapult launch from an aircraft carrier, autonomous approach and arrested landing, deck operations and safe wave-off procedures.

The platform combines a tailless low-observable airframe with autonomous flight management. Its carrier-air-wing interoperability, manned-unmanned teaming potential and autonomous aerial-refuelling demonstrations made the X-47B an important technology step for future naval unmanned systems.

The X-47B’s primary role was to validate autonomy, carrier integration and unmanned aviation operations rather than carry a defined operational sensor suite. As a completed demonstrator programme, its endurance and final operational mission profile should be treated as TBC. According to the Plarok database, it has a maximum speed of 540 knots, an approximate range of 3,900 kilometres, a service ceiling of 40,000 feet and a payload capacity of 2,000 kilograms.