Dassault nEUROn
European stealth UCAV technology demonstrator, first flown December 2012.
The Dassault nEUROn is an experimental unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) developed through international cooperation, with Dassault Aviation of France as the lead contractor. Partner nations include France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Its design aims to create a stealthy, autonomous UAV capable of operating in medium-to-high threat combat zones. The industrial objective is to give European firms hands-on experience in designing and building advanced UAVs and related technologies, helping them stay competitive globally. The aircraft first flew on December 1, 2012.
The nEUROn is a flying-wing stealth UCAV demonstrator and the final phase of Dassault’s LOGIDUC three-step stealth combat drone program. Until June 2005, the project was envisioned as the Grand Duc: a supersonic, twin-engine, long-range unmanned bomber capable of nuclear strikes. Under pressure from international partners, especially Sweden and Saab, it was scaled down to a single-engine technology demonstrator. It is now optimized for testing future UAV and UCAV technologies and will not enter serial production, though it will pave the way for a commercial product using technologies developed in the program. A full-scale replica of the current configuration was shown at the Paris Air Show in 2005.
Originally planned by Dassault as the "AVE Grand Duc," the nEUROn evolved into a European collaboration including Saab (Sweden), EAB (Greece), RUAG Aerospace (Switzerland), EADS CASA (Spain), and Alenia (now Leonardo-Finmeccanica’s Aircraft Division), with Dassault as lead. As a technology demonstrator, only one vehicle will be built to explore new operational concepts for a future generation of autonomous stealth fighters expected after 2020. The industrial partners prioritize technology development over manufacturing hardware and weapons, despite the risk of losing the single prototype. Dassault plans to use data from the demonstrator to develop derived UCAVs. The nEUROn uses an Adour engine adapted from the SEPECAT Jaguar, but a production version would replace it with a more powerful engine based on Snecma’s M88 from the Rafale.
According to the DGA, test flights were planned in France, Sweden, and Italy in early 2010 but were delayed; the first flight occurred at the end of 2012.
Quick Facts
- National Origin
- European Union
- Manufacturer
- Dassault Aviation
- First Flight
- 1 December 2012
- Developed From
- AVE-C Moyen Duc
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Dassault nEUROn originated from Dassault's LOGIDUC stealth UCAV program, which began in 1999 and produced the AVE-D Petit Duc (2000) and AVE-C Moyen Duc (2001). The third phase, originally named 'Grand Duc' as a supersonic two-engined long-range unmanned bomber capable of nuclear attacks, was transformed under international cooperation—especially from Sweden and Saab—into a smaller single-engine technology demonstrator. A full-scale replica was unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2005.
The nEUROn is a flying wing stealth UCAV, roughly the size of a Mirage 2000 fighter rotated 90 degrees. It has unmanned autonomous air-to-ground attack capabilities with precision guided munitions, relying on an advanced stealth airframe to penetrate undetected. Another contemplated feature is the ability to control squad flight in automatic mode from an advanced fighter like the Rafale or JAS 39 Gripen platform.
Development partners include Dassault (lead builder, 50% share), Alenia (now Leonardo-Finmeccanica's Aircraft Division, 25%), Saab (25%), EADS CASA, Hellenic Aerospace Industry, RUAG Aerospace, Thales, and EADS France. Only one vehicle was produced as a technology demonstrator, not intended for serial production, but to clear the way for a commercial product using technologies developed in the program.
Reader's Guide
The nEUROn program has three stated goals: to maintain and develop the skills of participating European aerospace companies' design offices, which will not see other new fighter programs before 2030; to investigate and validate technologies needed by 2015 for designing next-generation combat aircraft; and to validate an innovative cooperation process by establishing a European industry team responsible for developing next-generation combat aircraft. The industrial goal is to give European firms experience designing and building high-end UAVs and associated technologies to keep them competitive globally.
Flight testing began with the first flight on December 1, 2012, in France. Flight trials in France to open its flight envelope and evaluate stealth characteristics were completed in March 2015, followed by sensor evaluation trials in Italy completed on August 25, 2015. The last leg of flight trials took place in Sweden and included live fire trials. In July 2016, extensive stealth and detection tests were conducted with the nEUROn and the Charles de Gaulle carrier group, testing its stealth and the carrier group's detection capability.
Dassault plans to primarily use data collected by the demonstrator to produce derived UCAVs. The production version is expected to replace the Adour engine with a more powerful engine based on Snecma's M88 from the Dassault Rafale. The nEUROn is envisioned as competitive with the American J-UCAS program's Boeing X-45C or Northrop-Grumman X-47B.
Did You Know?
- The nEUROn is roughly the size of a Mirage 2000 fighter rotated 90 degrees, measuring 10 m long by 12 m wide and weighing 5 tons.
- Only one nEUROn vehicle was produced, as a technology demonstrator, with no serial production planned.
- The nEUROn's Adour engine is adapted from the version used in the SEPECAT Jaguar.
- Great Britain did not join the program because it was already involved with a similar American program; Germany desisted officially due to inability to afford financial participation.
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