Tech & Auto
Why The U.S. Navy Stopped Using The X-47B Stealth Drone
By CHRIS LITTLECHILD
Drones, such as the U.S. Navy’s formidable stealth drone, the X-47B, have become a prominent part of warfare. However, the craft is no longer used by the U.S. military.
According to Northrop Grumman, the X-47B was made under a 2007 contract with the U.S. Navy for an initiative titled the "Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) Carrier Demonstration."
The U.S. Navy wanted a plane that could launch and relaunch from an aircraft carrier, refuel while in action, and more without needing a pilot.
Vigorous trials of the X-47 B’s took place on the USS Theodore Roosevelt in August 2014. A year later, the Unmanned Combat Air System demonstration project ended.
The X-47B was just a demonstration, a proof of concept. However, the project led to the Carrier-Based Aerial Refueling System research and development of the MQ-25 Stingray.