Northrop Grumman Bat
Medium-altitude ISR UAV with blended-wing design and net recovery.
The Northrop Grumman Bat is a medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle built for the U.S. military. Its main role is intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), with an initial payload capacity of 30 pounds and a 10-foot wingspan. Northrop Grumman acquired the design and marketing rights from Swift Engineering for what was then called the Killer Bee, and renamed it the Bat in April 2009. Later development boosted payload and range: the latest variant has a 14-foot wingspan, can carry up to 100 pounds, reaches a maximum altitude of 17,000 feet, and stays aloft for up to 18 hours. In August 2011, Northrop Grumman won a $26 million contract for Sand Dragon B Tier II UAVs designed to detect improvised explosive devices and roadside bombs.
The Bat system breaks down into two main transport assemblies: Launch/Recovery and Air Vehicle/Ground Control Station. It can be moved by MV-22, HUMVEE, C-130, or helicopter. The UAV uses commercial off-the-shelf payloads to keep costs down and simplify maintenance. Automatic recovery relies on autonomous computer control and differential GPS, guiding the aircraft into a portable net. The catapult launcher is managed by ground control software. Its blended wing-body design reduces drag, improves fuel economy, and extends flight time. The airframe is mostly composites—epoxy/carbon fiber and fiberglass—making it rigid and efficient to manufacture. The nose carries net hooks, and a rear pusher propeller drives the craft into a mobile retrieval net during landing. The standard Hirth engine with a five-bladed propeller enables 18-hour flights. The Bat has a low visual and radar cross-section, and a heavy-fuel engine option is available. Payloads include still and real-time video cameras, EO/IR and SAR sensors, Kestrel MTI, laser rangefinders and designators, infrared cameras, communication relays, IED detection gear, radar jamming electronic warfare systems, chemical and biological detection, psy ops equipment, and flare dispensers.
The Bat can carry many payload types for intelligence gathering, such as still and video cameras, EO/IR and SAR sensors, laser rangefinders and designators, infrared cameras, communication relays, chemical, biological, and IED detection systems, and flare dispensers. It is also offered for monitoring civil disturbances, borders, pipelines, power lines, and weather.
Quick Facts
- National Origin
- United States
- Manufacturer
- Northrop Grumman
- Design Group
- Swift Engineering
- First Flight
- 14 March 2006
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Bat UAS was redeveloped to increase payload carrying capacity and extend range. The latest variant has a wingspan of 14 ft and can carry up to 100 lb of payload. The Bat 14 UAS has a maximum altitude of 17,000 ft above sea level and a maximum endurance of 18 hours. On August 12, 2011, Northrop Grumman won a $26m contract for Sand Dragon B Tier II UAVs able to detect IEDs and roadside bombs.
The Bat UAS System is packaged for transport into two major assemblies: Launch/Recovery and Air Vehicle/GCS. It is transportable on MV-22, HUMVEE, C-130 and by helicopter. Bat UAVs incorporate COTS payloads for reduced costs and ease of maintenance. Automatic Recovery is programmed and controlled via autonomous computer and differential GPS using a portable net system. The aircraft catapult launcher functions are controlled and monitored by GCS software.
The blended wings merge with the fuselage into a single airfoil to reduce aerodynamic drag, improve fuel economy and increase flight endurance. Made largely of composites, including epoxy/carbon fiber and fiberglass, the airfoil is rigid, providing structural efficiency which reduces materials and manufacturing costs. With net hooks in the nose and a rear pusher propeller, the craft lands in a mobile retrieval net. The current Hirth engine with its five-bladed propeller provides a flight time of up to 18 hours. The Bat is designed to have a lower than average visual and radar cross-section profile. A heavy-fuel engine version is also available.
Reader's Guide
The Bat UAS is notable for its evolution from a 30 lb payload, 10 ft wingspan design to a 100 lb payload, 14 ft wingspan variant, reflecting a deliberate redevelopment to extend range and capacity. Its blended-wing airframe, constructed from composites, reduces drag and improves endurance, while the net-recovery system and catapult launcher enable operation from confined or mobile platforms. The Bat's payload versatility—including EO/IR, SAR, laser designators, IED detection, radar jamming EW, and chemical/biological sensors—positions it as a multi-role ISR and electronic warfare asset. The 2011 Sand Dragon contract specifically for IED detection underscores its role in counter-insurgency operations. The Bat's low visual and radar cross-section, combined with a heavy-fuel engine option, enhances its survivability and logistical flexibility. Its ability to be transported by MV-22, HUMVEE, C-130, and helicopter, along with COTS payload integration, makes it adaptable to diverse military and civil missions, including border surveillance, pipeline monitoring, and meteorology.
Did You Know?
- The Bat was originally developed by Swift Engineering as the Killer Bee and renamed by Northrop Grumman in April 2009.
- The Bat lands in a mobile retrieval net using net hooks in the nose and a rear pusher propeller.
- The Bat 14 variant has a maximum altitude of 17,000 ft and endurance of 18 hours.
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