Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft

Background

Originally named the 'Robotic Rotary Wingman', a requirement was issued in spring 2002 for a robot rotorcraft armed with missiles, unguided rockets, guns, and nonlethal directed energy weapons, capable of attacking masked targets. The UCAR was to cost $4 million to $8 million and have operating costs 10% to 40% of those of an AH-64 Apache, with reductions expected partly from fewer personnel needed for maintenance and operation.

Design bids

Contenders for the contract included Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Sikorsky. Boeing teamed with Axiom, BAE Systems, and Rockwell Scientific.

Two finalists—Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin—were selected in summer 2003 for detailed design; neither had ever built a full-production rotorcraft. Northrop Grumman's design used a twin-two-blade-rotor 'eggbeater' scheme associated with Kaman helicopters (Kaman had teamed with Northrop Grumman), while Lockheed Martin's used a four-blade rotor with a 'no-tail-rotor (NOTAR)' jet exhaust in the tail. Both were stealthy with internal weapon bays and eliminated the tail rotor, the noisiest element on a conventional helicopter.

The Northrop Grumman eggbeater was to fly at over 295 km/h (160 knots), at altitudes up to 6,100 m, with 10 hours endurance and a range of up to 2,000 km. It envisioned two variants: an attack variant optimized for low-altitude operation with a nav-attack sensor suite, and a scout variant optimized for high-altitude operation with a SAR payload and communications relay. The Lockheed Martin proposal offered similar performance but less endurance; its baseline payload included a SAR.

Outcome

A single contractor was to be selected by 2004 to develop two X-vehicle prototypes, leading to a 'B-model' closer to an operational machine with a warload of 225 to 450 kg, including nonlethal directed-energy weapons. The 'A-model' was to fly in 2006, followed by a 'B-model' fieldable prototype in 2008, and a transition to an Army acquisition program by 2010. The Army seemed enthusiastic but pulled out in December 2004, citing more immediate demands on aviation funding. DARPA searched for another service sponsor, found none, and ended the procurement of demonstrators at the end of the year.