Northrop Grumman Firebird
{{Short description|Intelligence gathering aircraft}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name = Firebird | image = File:Northrop Grumman H03 N326JG 5D4 3986 (48707200992).jpg | caption = }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type = Intelligence gathering aircraft | national origin = United States | manufacturer = Northrop Grumman/Scaled Composites | designer = | first flight = February 2010 | introduced = | retired = | status = | primary user = United States | more users = | produced = | number built = 2 | program cost = | unit cost = | developed from = | variants with their own articles = }} |
The Northrop Grumman Firebird is an intelligence gathering aircraft designed by Northrop Grumman's subsidiary Scaled Composites which can be flown remotely or by a pilot. At Scaled, it is known as the Model 355. It was unveiled on May 9, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-northrop-drone-20110509,0,1365932.story|title=Onboard pilot optional with Northrop's Firebird spy plane|last=Hennigan|first=W.J.|date=9 May 2011|work=The Los Angeles Times|accessdate=9 May 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/may/09/nothrop-secretly-develops-surveillance-plane-san-d/|title=Northrop secretly develops spy plane in San Diego|last=Robbins|first=Gary|date=9 May 2011|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|accessdate=9 May 2011}} It was first flown in February 2010 and is considered to be an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV).{{cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/awx/2011/05/06/awx_05_06_2011_p0-318896.xml|title=Exclusive: Northrop Unveils Firebird MALE|last=Butler|first=Amy|date=9 May 2011|work=Aviation Week & Space Technology|accessdate=9 May 2011|archive-date=20 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020184758/http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/awx/2011/05/06/awx_05_06_2011_p0-318896.xml|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/ScaledsLatest_PilotOptionalSpyplane_204625-1.html|title = Scaled's Latest: Pilot-Optional Spyplane|accessdate = 10 May 2011|last = Grady|first = Mary|date = May 2011|work = AvWeb|archive-date = 8 October 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121008172306/http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/ScaledsLatest_PilotOptionalSpyplane_204625-1.html|url-status = dead}}
Design and development
One of the last aircraft designs overseen by Burt Rutan, who retired in April 2011, the Firebird is a medium-altitude long-endurance aircraft designed to fly up to 40 hours at a top speed of {{convert|230|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} at an altitude of {{convert|30000|ft|m}}. The twin-boom aircraft has a pusher configuration and a long slender (high aspect ratio) wing with a very slight forward sweep angle.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/northrop-grumman-unveils-new-intelligence-aircraft-that-can-be-flown-unmanned-or-by-pilot/2011/05/09/AFEXywZG_story.html|title=Northrop Grumman unveils new intelligence aircraft that can be flown unmanned or by pilot|date=9 May 2011|newspaper=The Washington Post|accessdate=9 May 2011}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} It has a wingspan of {{convert|65|ft|m}}, a length of {{convert|34|ft|m}}, a height of {{convert|9.7|ft|m}} and a payload capacity of {{convert|1240|lb|kg}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-northrop-drone-box-20110509,0,2370890.story|title=Firebird spy plane at a glance|date=9 May 2011|work=The Los Angeles Times|accessdate=9 May 2011}} It is powered by a Lycoming TEO-540 flat-six piston engine and has a maximum takeoff weight of {{convert|5000|lb|kg}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/awst/2011/05/09/AW_05_09_2011_p52-316747.xml&headline=Northrop%20Grumman%20Aims%20To%20Take%20On%20Predator&channel=awst|title=Northrop Grumman Aims To Take On Predator|last=Butler|first=Amy|date=May 6, 2011|work=Aviation Week & Space Technology|accessdate=9 May 2011}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The aircraft has hardpoints to carry weapons, though it is currently unarmed.{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/05/09/356428/northrop-grumman-formally-unveils-firebird.html|title=Northrop Grumman formally unveils Firebird|last=Rosenberg|first=Zach|date=9 May 2011|work=Flightglobal.com|accessdate=9 May 2011}}
A new variant with a wingspan widened from {{cvt|72.2 to 79.2|ft}} first flew in March 2018 and was intended to be launched in early 2019.{{cite news |url= http://aviationweek.com/defense/northrop-grumman-formally-unveils-firebird-uas |title= Northrop Grumman Formally Unveils Firebird UAS |date= Dec 14, 2018 |author= Steve Trimble |work= Aviation Week & Space Technology}}
=Production suspension=
In April 2022, Northrop Grumman announced it had suspended production of the Firebird, having failed to secure any export customers for the aircraft. However, company representatives left open the possibility of future production, stating that the aircraft would "remain available for interested customers."{{cite news |url=https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/uv-online/northrop-grumman-confirms-suspension-of-firebird-p/ |title= Northrop Grumman confirms suspension of Firebird production}}
=Reconnaissance capabilities=
The Firebird is designed so that the aircraft is able to carry up to four modules of reconnaissance equipment simultaneously, on a separate system from that needed to control the plane, so that equipment can be easily swapped in and out. According to Rick Crooks, a Northrop executive involved in the project, this design means that "[i]t takes days or weeks to get a new payload [of equipment] integrated, instead of years."{{cite web | url=https://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/05/famed-spaceship-maker-gives-spy-drones-a-try/ | title=Famed Spaceship Maker Gives Spy Drones a Try | publisher=Wired Magazine | date=9 May 2011 | accessdate=11 May 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513060010/http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/05/famed-spaceship-maker-gives-spy-drones-a-try | url-status=live | archive-date=13 May 2011}} The aircraft has the ability to simultaneously view infrared imagery, gather real time high-definition video, use radar, and perform local signals intelligence.
Operational history
The idea of building an aircraft capable of being flown with or without a pilot was first floated on 9 February 2009 by Rick Crooks, when he contacted Scaled Composites about the possibility of building such an aircraft. Scaled agreed, and on 9 February 2010 the aircraft made its first flight. In October 2010, the aircraft demonstrated its capabilities of collecting information from multiple sources simultaneously for the first time when it made a demonstration flight in Sacramento, California, for defense officials. On 9 May 2011 the aircraft was publicly unveiled for the first time, and between 23 May and 3 June 2010, it participated in the 2011 Empire Challenge exercise, where it displayed its ability to carry multiple payloads and switch them out rapidly.
According to Northrop, the single aircraft built is considered to be operationally ready, beyond the prototype stage. At the time of the aircraft's public unveiling, there were early plans for a second aircraft to be built. If it enters production, construction of the Firebird is planned to move to factories in Palmdale, California or Moss Point, Mississippi, rather than the Scaled Composites facility in Mojave, California.
On 11 November 2012, the Firebird began test flights, and production was approved.{{cite web|last=Norris|first=Guy|title=Firebird Wins Northrop Grumman Production Go-Ahead|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_11_19_2012_p32-516681.xml|publisher=Aviation Week|accessdate=22 November 2012|date=17 July 2019|archive-date=21 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121105044/http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_11_19_2012_p32-516681.xml|url-status=dead}}
Firebird had its European debut in the Royal International Air Tattoo air show at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom in July 2019.{{cite web|title=Firebird to appear in Europe for first time at RIAT 2019.|url=http://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2019/07/17/northrop-grumman-announces-new-firebird-orders-ahead-of-european-debut/amp/|publisher=Aerotech News and Review|accessdate=18 July 2019|date=19 November 2012|archive-date=18 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718081730/http://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2019/07/17/northrop-grumman-announces-new-firebird-orders-ahead-of-european-debut/amp/|url-status=dead}}
=U.S. service=
The first Firebirds were scheduled to be delivered to an unnamed U.S. government service before mid-2019.{{cite web |last1=Kemp |first1=Damian |title=Avalon 2019: Optionally manned Firebird set to enter service |url=https://www.janes.com/article/86913/avalon-2019-optionally-manned-firebird-set-to-enter-service |website=Jane's 360 |accessdate=1 March 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190301201324/https://www.janes.com/article/86913/avalon-2019-optionally-manned-firebird-set-to-enter-service |archive-date=1 March 2019 |location=Melbourne |date=28 February 2019 |url-status=live }}{{update inline|date=June 2021}}
Operators
;{{US}}
- United States Federal Government - exact customer unnamed
- Grand Sky Development{{cite web |last=Hoyle |first=Craig |title=RIAT: Firebird makes European debut as Northrop names buyers |work=Flightglobal |date=21 July 2019 |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/riat-firebird-makes-european-debut-as-northrop-name-459805/ |accessdate=21 July 2019}}
- Tenax Aerospace
Specifications
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|ref={{cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3Ac833c291-ab5b-4754-8e97-dfda8a75c421|title=Exclusive: Northrop Grumman's Firebird|last=Butler|first=Amy|date=6 May 2011|work=Aviation Week & Space Technology|accessdate=21 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100321164415/http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog|archive-date=21 March 2010|url-status=dead}}
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See also
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