Northrop Grumman unveils new intelligence aircraft that can be flown unmanned or

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Northrop Grumman unveils new intelligence aircraft that can be flown unmanned or

by pilot

By The Associated Press | The Canadian Press – 1 hour 5 minutes ago

..LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Northrop Grumman Corp. on Monday unveiled a new type of

intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft that can be flown either

robotically or with a pilot aboard.

The defence contractor said the Firebird aircraft would allow the military to

simultaneously gather real-time high-definition video, view infrared imagery,

use radar and eavesdrop on communications.

Shown in flight test photographs and video released by Northrop Grumman, the

Firebird was designed and built by Mojave, California-based Scaled Composites

LLC, the builder of cutting-edge airplanes and spacecraft.

The company promoted the aircraft with the certainty of cuts in U.S. defence

spending in mind.

" Firebird addresses future budgetary constraints by combining the best of our

piloted and unmanned " systems, Meyer, vice-president and general manager of

advanced programs and technology for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, said in

a statement.

Rick Crooks, Firebird program manager, described it as an adaptable system that

is highly affordable because of the number of different missions that can be

accomplished in a single flight.

The company did not say how much it cost to develop the aircraft.

The twin-tailed aircraft has a slender wing spanning 65 feet (19.8 metres) and a

pusher-propeller at the rear of its fuselage.

Measuring 34 feet (10.3 metres) long and 9.7 feet (3 metres) high, the aircraft

is listed as being capable of reaching a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet (9.1

kilometres) and a maximum endurance of 24 to 40 hours, depending on

configuration.

The Firebird will be demonstrated from May 23 to June 3, during a U.S. Joint

Forces Command exercise dubbed Empire Challenge 2011. The exercise will be

hosted at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and include locations across the nation and in

several other countries.