By Leandro Maldonado
The Neuron designed by a team of six European nations gathered around Dassault Aviation of France is the one an only on-going serious and successful UCAV program conducted outside of the USA. ©Dassault Aviation
Rome, Italy, 25 August, 2015 — Dedicated to the demonstration of key technologies for future piloted and non-piloted combat aircraft systems, the Neuron is the only successful European multinational Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). After an initial first series of test in France in 2013 and 2014, the flight test campaign in Italy of the Neuron has been successfully concluded with the achievement of all established goals, thus allowing an important step forward for the program with twelve highly sensitive sorties tto verify the characteristics of Neuron’s combat capability, its low radar-cross section and low infrared signature, during missions flown at different altitudes and flight profiles and against both ground-based and air radar “threats”, using in this latter case, a Eurofighter Typhoon.
The Neuron — the European full-scale technological UCAV demonstrator developed by an industrial team led by Dassault Aviation of France with the collaboration of Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi in Italy, Saab in Sweden, Airbus Defence and Space in Germany, RUAG in Switzerland and HAI in Greece — has been deployed, under the auspices of the Italian Air Force, at Decimomannu air base, in Sardinia, where it has fulfilled a series of important operational tests. During the deployment in Italy the Neuron has confirmed its already ascertained excellent performance and high operational reliability. Starting this summer, the next testing phase will be run in Sweden, at the Vidsel test complex range, where tests of low observability and use of weapon delivery from the aircraft’s internal weapon bay will be carried out.
The Neuron pictured recently in Italian hands at Decimomannu air base, Sardinia. The European UCAV is powered by a RR-Turbomeca Adour Mk.951 two-shaft low bypass turbofan, the same used by the BAE Hawk. ©Aermacchi
The demonstrator’s development activity is an important step in the technology maturation process of the acquired technology, mitigating the level of risk of future investments for UAS in Europe and moving towards systems’ development for operational uses. The Neuron is dedicated to the demonstration of key technologies for combat aircraft for future manned and unmanned systems. It includes the design, development, manufacturing and flight testing of a non-piloted aircraft featuring a low radar-cross section and low infrared signature, capable of autonomous flight and weapon delivery. The Neuron Demonstrator may well be considered representative of future combat UAS configurations.
Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi’s contribution to the programme (22%) includes design and production of the generation and electrical distribution system; the innovative air data system (with stealth characteristics); low-observability components and, most importantly, the system of the so-called Smart Integrated Weapon Bay, SIWB. This system allows for the automatic detection and recognition of the target in stealth mode and enables the sending of an attack’s approval request to the ground station commander before the launching of weapons.
