Northrop Grumman’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) is scheduled to make its maiden flight early in 2010 at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The X-47B unmanned aircraft is part of the US Navy’s UCAS-D programme to create a carrier-based unmanned aircraft.

Before being tested, the aircraft will undergo a wide range of ground-based check-outs, alternate aircraft flight testing and lab-based integration testing.

UCAS-D programme manager Captain Martin Deppe said that recent check-out actions on the X-47B system resulted in some propulsion acoustic issues and engine start problems that need to be fixed by engineers.

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”Postponing first flight allows them to make those changes and then proceed with a thorough first flight review by a team of Naval Air Systems Command and Northrop Grumman subject matter experts, while remaining on-schedule for sea trials in 2012,” Deppe said.

The X-47B will be the first unmanned jet aircraft capable of safe take off and landing aboard an aircraft carrier and will be able to refuel in-flight for ultra-long mission endurance.