It may look like a futuristic starfighter, but this sleek gun-metal craft is Boeing's latest unmanned spy plane, reports Daily Mail, London.
Called the Phantom Ray, the cutting-edge unmanned airborne system (UAS) was unveiled at a ceremony in St Louis yesterday.
The sleek craft has a 50ft wingspan, measures 36ft long and has a gross weight of 36,500lbs. It operates at an altitude of 40,000ft, which is 10,000ft higher than the average long-haul commercial airliner. It will cruise comfortably at a speed of 614mph, or 0.8mach, just shy of the speed of sound.
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The Phantom Ray is a 'one off' demonstration vehicle intended to be a flying test bed for future technology development opportunities.
It was developed by Boeing Phantom Works based on a prototype that the company had originally created for the U.S military.
Designed in a way to create a very low radar cross-section, the craft doesn't betray its presence over enemy territories. The engine is buried within the body to reduce the infra-red signature, thus throwing missiles off its course. It is likely any weaponry on board would 'pop out' only when needed.
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CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, Dennis Muilenburg, said: 'Phantom Ray offers a host of options for our customers as a test bed for advanced technologies, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack and autonomous aerial refueling - the possibilities are nearly endless.'
The Ray has been developed in just two years through a process called rapid prototyping and manufacturing. It is scheduled for testing this summer and is due to launch in December, with 10 flights planned over six months.
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'We are on a fast track, and first flight is in sight,' Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works, said.
Phantom Ray is designed to be a test bed for advanced technologies and support such missions as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, suppression of enemy air defences, electronic attack, strike and autonomous aerial refueling.