What you see here is a render of supersonic unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) currently under development by Singapore-based aviation contractor, Kelley Aerospace.
Called Arrow, this UAV boasts a carbon fiber body and while its engine is classified, Kelley Aerospace said it could reach a top speed of Mach 2.1 (2,572 km/h or 1,598 mph), or twice the speed of sound.
The final aircraft will measure 14 meter (46 feet) long and the delta wing setup has a 9 meter (30 feet) wing span.
Not going to lie. The first thing that struck a layman like me is not speed; it was the unusual, somewhat alien-like silhouette.
If the notoriously hard to control delta setup and supersonic speed promises aren’t bold enough ambitions, the Arrow’s specs and features are pretty up there too.
It has a maximum take-off weight of 16,800 kilograms (37,038 lbs), it has a flight ceiling of over 55,000 feet and a range of no less than 4,184 kilometers (2,600 miles).
The aircraft further claims autonomous launch capability, remote piloting by a crew of two, the ability to sync with other manned aircraft to serve as loyal wingman like the in-development Boeing Loyal Wingman Unmanned Aircraft, and a bespoke flight computer developed in-house.
Kelley Aerospace said the application for this UAV is wide and varied, including air-to-air or air-to-ground combat roles, reconnaissance and surveillance, and search and rescue missions.
The company started developing the Arrow Supersonic UAV in 2012 and in just two years, in 2014, it conducted the first test flight in Israel with a 4-meter (13 feet) scale model.
Images: Kelley Aerospace.
Source: CNA.
