Avenger (Predator C)
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Avenger (Predator C)

Avenger (Predator C)

Company GAAS (General Atomics Aeronautical Systems) in 2009, the UAV conducted a thorough modernization Avenger. This excavation has long been the main developer of the major UAV US Army Predator type.

The company's management plans thus replace drone Broad Area Maritime, which is released in the year 2015. New UAV should have improved performance. In particular, it will make independent takeoff and landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier. The payload will allow him to carry aircraft guided bombs GBU-38 JDAM laser-guided. The length of the first prototype was 10 m, and the second is planned to increase by at least 0,5 m, which will increase the space for the payload to about 3 m.

If necessary, the doors of the payload compartment can be dismantled, which will allow installing a comfortable container with equipment for reconnaissance. BA Predator C, as well as its predecessor (Predator B), is designed to carry about 1000 kg of sensors and weapons. In those cases when the function of low visibility is not needed, the armament of the drones is carried out both outside the fuselage and on the wings. In addition, you can install additional tanks with fuel inside the fuselage, which will increase the flight time by two hours. The proportion of the normal fuel distribution between the fuselage and the wings is 50 / 50.

The initial capacity of the electrical system will be less on the Avenger 45 kilovolts, rather than the Predator B. The lower long side allows the UAV to the monitoring system of the type "AFAR". Air Force Representation Review provides intelligence system. At the bottom of the nasal drone installed all-weather radar (LYNX SAR), and on the production models present system ball EO / IR, which on a prototype developer is not installed. In addition, the designers have created a new slide-out system.

V-shaped vertical tail provides additional deviation of radar radiation and reduces infrared visibility from engine exhausts. To improve controllability during the flight, two servomotors were mounted on the tail. The design of the engine compartment is hunchbacked, which will increase the space for snake exhaust. This eliminates the possibility of radar monitoring of the engine. Also, the infrared visibility of the UAV is reduced by an S-shaped air intake and cooling. The maximum speed - 740 km / h - is provided by the engine Canada PW545B. But the debugging tests showed that the engine is capable of more. The practical ceiling for the unmanned vehicle was 18 km.

The wing and tail edges when viewed from above the UAV practically parallel. Rear curved edge of the wing increases the aerodynamic performance and structural advantages of the wedge parallel to the wing and protects from the radar hood. The curvature and thickness of the wing allowed the drone to reach a large laminar flow.

Proper division, which produces materials for controlling the optical, infrared and radar signatures, has solved the problem with the creation of communication crossing the radome on top of the nose. It is completely transparent to the frequency band Ku, which uses most of the aeronautical satellite systems.

Unmanned aircraft are designed in such a way that the transport or storage in the warehouses of the wings could collapse. In addition to the Air Force drone interested in the Navy, as its features and applications can solve a lot of problems. Especially for this aircraft set the stern hook and tested the take-off and landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier. To date, the first orders for the BA made the US Air Force and the UK.

Planting is carried out by the drone landing gear, the same as on a plane F-5. The mechanism works by using a laser altimeter and vertical indicators, which are displayed on the operator's screen. Hold the engine power down the landing is performed by moving the "slide" in the middle of the display. This system eliminates unnecessary vibrations caused by the effect of parallax.

Predator C was first tested in the air in April 2009 of the year as part of a test program that lasted two months. The new drone gradually began to shift the old version from production. The company carried out financing for the new project independently, and its size almost exaggerated version B twice. 

Avenger (Predator C). Characteristics:



Modification   Avenger
Wingspan, m   20.10
Aircraft Length m   12.40
Height, m  
Weight, kg  
  empty  
  maximum take-off  
engine's type   1 turbojet engine Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545B
Thrust, kN   1 x 21.30
Maximum speed km / h   740
Cruising speed, km / h  
Flight distance, km  
Flight duration, h   more 20
Practical ceiling, m   18288
Payload:   up to 1360 kg

 

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