Orion flight 18 — 80-hour record with 1,000 lb ballast
December 2014 · not an ISR-payload demonstration
Aurora’s endurance attempt was flight 18 and carried 1,000 lb of ballast. Maiden flight (no mission system) and this record flight both fail as evidence of an operational ISR stack. Payload on flights 2–17 remains open.
Aurora’s endurance attempt was flight 18 and carried 1,000 lb of ballast. Combined with USAF PB2015 (March 2014) stating that Aurora and 645 AESG would continue to identify best-of-breed sensors and GFE through FY2014, that flight is not evidence of an operational ISR stack on 8 March 2014. Aurora’s January 2015 release dates the maiden flight 23 August 2013; USAF PB2015 and contemporary Aviation Week use 24 August 2013. The programme date used here is 24 August; 23 August is a contractor discrepancy still needing a test card.
Sources
- Aurora January 2015 endurance release
- USAF PB2015 PE 0305205F
Related
Orion 80-hour remotely controlled flight
December 2014 · 1,000 lb ballast · fuel for ~37 more hours
Orion first flight, China Lake
24 August 2013 · ~3.5 hours · 8,000 ft · no mission payload
What sensors were actually on Orion by March 2014?
What was on Orion flights 2–17 between August 2013 and March 2014?
Raytheon MTS-B as Orion payload lead
Reported option · 2012–13 USAF UAV MTS bookings in the $200m class
Aurora Orion RPA
Twin-diesel MALE UAS · China Lake first flight 24 Aug 2013