Northrop Grumman X-47A Pegasus
Northrop Grumman Corporation · United States · first flew 2003 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Northrop Grumman X-47A Pegasus was a small-scale tailless flying-wing unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator built to validate the cranked-kite delta concept. It was a subscale precursor to the larger X-47B naval UCAV demonstrator.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tailless flying-wing UCAV demonstrator
- Cranked-kite delta platform with no vertical tail
- Small-scale predecessor to the X-47B carrier demonstrator
A compact tailless delta flying wing with a cranked leading edge and no vertical control surfaces; the single intake on the upper fuselage feeds the buried engine, and the planform is identical in shape but much smaller than the X-47B.
Specifications
- The Northrop Grumman X-47A Pegasus has a length of 8.5 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.465 m (28 ft).
- Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown on 23 February 2003 at Edwards Air Force Base, the X-47A was a DARPA-funded technology demonstrator. It validated the low-observable flying-wing configuration for unmanned strike aircraft and provided data that directly informed the X-47B design.
Variants
The X-47A was a single demonstrator; the concept was scaled up to the X-47B, which demonstrated arrested carrier landings and autonomous aerial refuelling. The X-47A itself had no variants.
Where you'll see it
Never entered operational service; the X-47A was a research vehicle used for aerodynamic and systems validation. Its successor, the X-47B, demonstrated autonomous carrier operations with the US Navy.
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