Excalibur
Excalibur is a purpose-built armed, tactical UAV. Excalibur fills a gap between
current weaponized UAVs and manned strike platforms that provide tactical air support.
To enable the attack role, Excalibur will be compatible with Hellfire, APKWS, Viper
Strike and other small, precision-guided munitions recently developed by the Department
of Defense.
Excalibur uses a turbine-electric hybrid propulsion system to give the aircraft
VTOL capability while allowing optimization of the turbine engine for horizontal
flight. The aircraft's advanced flight control system operates with a high level
of autonomy. The aircraft is not remotely piloted, therefore operators are able
to focus on mission planning, finding, and engaging targets instead of flying the
aircraft.
Excalibur combines VTOL launch and recovery, high-speed flight (up to 400knots),
and low speed loiter (100 knots) into one aircraft. Excalibur can operate in a STOL
or STOVL mode for increased mission durations or payloads.
Aurora is under contract to the Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate to
design a 700 pound Excalibur technology demonstrator aircraft, and completed it's
first vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flight test on June 24, 2009.