nEUROn UCAV UAV Program – Video

Have you heard of the nEUROn Drone UCAV UAV program? This video provides a bit of self promoting history of the European nEUROn program, the participants, and some rather cool video footage of the development and first flight of the triangular shaped flying wing stealth (low observable) unmanned combat air system testbed from Dassault and partners.

nEUROn UCAV UAV Program Highlights
The nEUROn program was launched in 2005 by the French defense procurement agency (DGA). It includes participation by France, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Greece and Switzerland.

Dassault Aviation is prime contractor, with other contributions by Alenia Aermacchi (Italy), Saab (Sweden), EADS-CASA (Spain), HAI (Greece), RUAG (Switzerland) and Thales (France).

nEUROn Specifications
Length: 10 meters
Wingspan: 12.5 meters
Empty weight: 5 tons
Engine: Rolls-Royce Turbomeca “Adour” engine.

nEUROn First Flight
Istres, France, 1 December 2012
From the Dassault Aviation company’s flight test base.

Future
nEUROn will continue testing in France until 2014, then on to Vidsel in Sweden for a series of operational trials. It will then go to the Perdadesfogu range (Italy) for further tests, in particular firing and release of weapons and stealth measurements.