The addition of Pratt & Whitney, a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of military aircraft engines, strengthens Northrop Grumman's efforts to design, develop and produce an unmanned combat air system that satisfies the operational requirements of both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force.

Northrop Grumman will produce two full-scale X-47B unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrators for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under phase IIB of the naval UCAV technology demonstration program that preceded the J-UCAS program.

Pratt & Whitney will provide an integrated, advanced performance propulsion system for the X-47B demonstrators, which will address Navy and Air Force objectives. The company joins Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. As a key member of Northrop Grumman's J-UCAS industry team.

"Pratt & Whitney's expertise in military aircraft engines adds another element of technical innovation to our J-UCAS team," said Scott Winship, Integrated Systems' J-UCAS program director. "Our three companies are already working together successfully on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. We will leverage that experience for DARPA, the Air Force and the Navy."

"Pratt & Whitney is excited about working again with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin," said Kevin Farrell, general manager for Pratt & Whitney's J-UCAS effort. "We are confident that innovative approaches to integrating vehicle power and thermal management systems will offer significant benefits to the J-UCAS program."

On Oct. 1, the Department of Defense plans to stand up a Joint Systems Management Office led by DARPA to manage the new J-UCAS program. The joint office will plan and execute a demonstration program that supports both Air Force and Navy emerging requirements.

Northrop Grumman's J-UCAS concept builds on the company's extensive experience with autonomous flight control, including thousands of flight hours by its combat-proven RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance system and the RQ-8 Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned system. Northrop Grumman is also working on the preliminary design phase of the unmanned combat-armed rotorcraft program for DARPA and the U.S. Army.

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