Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) and the U.S. Navy landed an unmanned aerial vehicle on an aircraft carrier deck for the first time Wednesday.
The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System arrived on the deck of the USS George HW Bush at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. after a 35-minute test flight, Northrop said Wednesday.
A mission operator aboard the carrier controlled the X-47B and monitored flight operations during the trial, which ended after the UCAS’ tailhood caught a three-wire on the carrier.
Carl Johnson, a Northrop vice president and Navy UCAS program manager, said test flight plans focused on software development and system maturity.
As covered on our sister site TheNewNewInternet, the X-47B conducted a catapult launch in May from a Nimitz class aircraft carrier, marking another first in the UAV’s history.
Click below to watch a Navy-produced video of thge X-47B’s arrested landing.
