Dassault Neuron
Encyclopedia
The Dassault nEUROn is an experimental Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
(UCAV) being developed with international cooperation, led by the French
company Dassault Aviation
.
stealth
UCAV project is the final phase of the Dassault LOGIDUC 3-step stealth "combat drone" programme. Until June 2005 it had the form of the original Dassault developed Grand Duc vehicle: supersonic two-engined long-range unmanned bomber, capable of performing attacks with nuclear weapons. Under the pressure of the international cooperation, especially from Sweden and Saab, it was transformed into a demonstrator of smaller single-engine technology. So it is now optimised for the testing of various technologies for the future UAVs and UCAVs, and will not enter serial production. It will only clear the way for a commercial product, that will use the technologies developed thanks to the nEUROn program. The full scale replica of the current configuration was unveiled at the Paris Air Show
2005.
The nEUROn development, originally planned by Dassault as "AVE Grand Duc", evolved into a European cooperation including Swedish Saab
, Greek EAB
, Swiss RUAG Aerospace, Spanish EADS CASA
and Italian Alenia
. As a "technology demonstrator", only single vehicle will be produced to explore new operational concepts for a future generation of autonomous stealth fighter aircraft that will be produced beyond 2020. This is advocated by the statement that the industrial partners want to invest more in technology development, rather than manufacturing of the flying hardware, despite the risk of the loss of the single prototype. However Dassault plans to primarily use the data collected by the demonstrator to produce derived UCAVs. The French maker states the nEUROn's Adour
engine (tuned from the SEPECAT Jaguar
) will be replaced in the production version by a more powerful, specific, engine based on Snecma's M88
from the Dassault Rafale
. According to the DGA
, nEUROn test flights were planned in France, Sweden and Italy in early 2010, but it slipped into the early 2012.
program's Boeing X-45
C or Northrop-Grumman X-47B.
Indeed, Saab's February 9, 2006 release notes that nEUROn will be a demonstrator measuring 10 m long by 12 m wide and weighing in at 5 tons. This is roughly the size of a Mirage 2000 fighter. The aircraft will have unmanned autonomous air-to-ground attack capabilities with precision guided munitions, relying on an advanced stealth airframe design to penetrate undetected. Another feature being contemplated is the ability to control squad flight in automatic mode from an advanced fighter like the Rafale
or JAS 39 Gripen
platform, grouping the nEUROns and controlling the group in a manner similar to many combat real-time strategy
computer games
.
During the 2003 Paris Air Show, French Minister of Defence Mme Michèle Alliot-Marie
announced a major agreement signed between the French groups EADS France
, Dassault Aviation and Thales
. The agreement covered a joint-venture to "realise a new unmanned military technology that covers all future activity in combat and strategic reconnaissance aeronautics" i.e. LOGIDUC's phase three, "Grand Duc".
EADS leads a HALE (High Altitude, Long Endurance) UAV project.
Meanwhile, the French defence procurement agency, DGA, acting as the program executive on behalf of the participating countries, has entrusted development of the first nEUROn UCAV demonstrator to Dassault Aviation and its European partners. Sub-contracts have been made with the French industrial firms Thales and EADS France and also with five European firms, Saab (Sweden), EAB (Greece), Alenia (Italy), RUAG Aerospace (Switzerland) and EADS CASA (Spain).
Chief project manager Thierry Prunier comes from Dassault Aviation, and the deputy project managers are Mats Ohlson of Saab and Ermanno Bertolina of Alenia. There is a single link between the executive agency (DGA) and the prime contractor (Dassault), and it will be up to the executive agency to coordinate with the government agencies of the participating countries. It will be up to the prime contractor, meanwhile, to coordinate the work with the other industries.
After Spain joined the programme in early February 2006 (Belgium could join later), work breakdown among the European industrial partners was planned as follows::
Dassault Aviation
: (launched European project in June 2003)
Dassault claims 50% of development and is responsible for the standalone LOGIDUC programme. The nEUROn (2010) will be the third Dassault stealth UAV prototype following the AVE-D Petit Duc (2000) & AVE-C Moyen Duc (2004). The nEUROn project replaces the LOGIDUC final phase AVE Grand Duc.
Saab
: (joined on December 22, 2005)
Saab claims 25% of development and is also the coordinator for the other Swedish corporations involved.
Alenia Aeronautica
: (joined in mid-2005)
Thanks to the technologies developed for the UAV prototype Sky-x
(2003) Alenia Aeronautica claims to is the first industrial partner with 22% share of the entire programme.
EADS CASA
: (joined on February 7, 2006)
EAB
: (joined on January 11, 2006)
RUAG
: (joined in mid-2005)
Thales
: (joined on June 14, 2005)
EADS France
: (joined in June 2003)
As of 2010, parts for the aircraft are under construction.
On February 2006, DGA had announced that France will provide €202.5 million, half of the program's €405 million ($480 million) budget, while the remaining funds will be supplied by the other participating member nations. In December 2005, the Swedish defence ministry reported the national share would be €75 million, of which €66 million would be financed by Saab AB. The cost of Spain's participation to the program is estimated at €35.5 million, spread over the 2007-2012 period.
Derived production UCAV unit cost is estimated by Dassault to be €25 million.
Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
An unmanned combat air vehicle or combat drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is designed to deliver weapons without an onboard pilot. Currently operational UCAVs are under real-time human control, but future version may enable autonomous operation, for example with pre-programmed route and...
(UCAV) being developed with international cooperation, led by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
company Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets, a subsidiary of Dassault Group.It was founded in 1930 by Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marcel Bloch changed his name to Marcel Dassault, and the name of the...
.
Description
This delta wingDelta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
stealth
Stealth technology
Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...
UCAV project is the final phase of the Dassault LOGIDUC 3-step stealth "combat drone" programme. Until June 2005 it had the form of the original Dassault developed Grand Duc vehicle: supersonic two-engined long-range unmanned bomber, capable of performing attacks with nuclear weapons. Under the pressure of the international cooperation, especially from Sweden and Saab, it was transformed into a demonstrator of smaller single-engine technology. So it is now optimised for the testing of various technologies for the future UAVs and UCAVs, and will not enter serial production. It will only clear the way for a commercial product, that will use the technologies developed thanks to the nEUROn program. The full scale replica of the current configuration was unveiled at the Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
2005.
The nEUROn development, originally planned by Dassault as "AVE Grand Duc", evolved into a European cooperation including Swedish Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
, Greek EAB
Hellenic Aerospace Industry
Hellenic Aerospace Industry is the leading aerospace company of Greece. The company has undertaken over the years a great deal of subcontracting work with major International Aerospace companies and has accomplished many original developments in military electronics,...
, Swiss RUAG Aerospace, Spanish EADS CASA
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
and Italian Alenia
Alenia Aeronautica
Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica subsidiary, is a European aerospace company from Italy. Its subsidiaries include Alenia Aermacchi and Alenia Aeronavali...
. As a "technology demonstrator", only single vehicle will be produced to explore new operational concepts for a future generation of autonomous stealth fighter aircraft that will be produced beyond 2020. This is advocated by the statement that the industrial partners want to invest more in technology development, rather than manufacturing of the flying hardware, despite the risk of the loss of the single prototype. However Dassault plans to primarily use the data collected by the demonstrator to produce derived UCAVs. The French maker states the nEUROn's Adour
Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour
|-See also:- External links :* * *...
engine (tuned from the SEPECAT Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
) will be replaced in the production version by a more powerful, specific, engine based on Snecma's M88
SNECMA M88
|-See also:-External links:* * Snecma M88's pdf* *...
from the Dassault Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
. According to the DGA
Délégation Générale pour l'Armement
The Direction générale de l’armement, which could be translated as “General Directorate for Armament”, or DGA, is the French Government Defence procurement agency responsible for the program management, development and purchase of weapon systems for the French military.-Armament programs...
, nEUROn test flights were planned in France, Sweden and Italy in early 2010, but it slipped into the early 2012.
Program goals
The program has three stated goals:- To maintain and develop the skills of the participating European aerospace companies' design offices, which will not see any other new fighter programs before 2030 now that the Rafale, EurofighterEurofighter TyphoonThe Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
and GripenJAS 39 GripenThe Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force...
projects are all complete or well underway. - To investigate and validate technologies that will be needed by 2015 to design next-generation combat aircraft.
- To validate an innovative cooperation process by establishing a European industry team responsible for developing next-generation combat aircraft.
Platform
As a UCAV, nEUROn will be significantly larger and more advanced than other well-known UAV systems like the MQ-1 Predator, with ranges, payloads and capabilities that approach those of manned fighter aircraft. Although the project is not yet closely defined, illustrations and statements by the consortium partners indicate that the nEUROn is envisioned as a competitive system with the American J-UCASJoint Unmanned Combat Air Systems
Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems, or J-UCAS, was the name for the joint U.S. Navy/U.S. Air Force unmanned combat air vehicle procurement project. The two vehicles involved in the project were the Boeing X-45 and Northrop Grumman X-47. J-UCAS was managed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects...
program's Boeing X-45
Boeing X-45
The Boeing X-45 unmanned combat air vehicle is a concept demonstrator for a next generation of completely autonomous military aircraft, developed by Boeing's Phantom Works. Manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, the X-45 was a part of DARPA's J-UCAS project.-Development:Boeing developed...
C or Northrop-Grumman X-47B.
Indeed, Saab's February 9, 2006 release notes that nEUROn will be a demonstrator measuring 10 m long by 12 m wide and weighing in at 5 tons. This is roughly the size of a Mirage 2000 fighter. The aircraft will have unmanned autonomous air-to-ground attack capabilities with precision guided munitions, relying on an advanced stealth airframe design to penetrate undetected. Another feature being contemplated is the ability to control squad flight in automatic mode from an advanced fighter like the Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
or JAS 39 Gripen
JAS 39 Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force...
platform, grouping the nEUROns and controlling the group in a manner similar to many combat real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
computer games
Computer Games
"Computer Games" is a single by New Zealand group, Mi-Sex released in 1979 in Australia and New Zealand and in 1981 throughout Europe. It was the single that launched the band, and was hugely popular, particularly in Australia and New Zealand...
.
Project history
In 1999, Dassault Aviation launched its LOGIDUC stealth UCAV program, which gave birth to the Dassault AVE-D Petit Duc that flew in July 2000 as the first stealth UAV in Europe, and to the Dassault AVE-C Moyen Duc (2001). Dassault changed the third phase name "Grand Duc" - a full scale advanced version of the Moyen Duc - to the more European sounding nEUROn, as the French project was joined by European partners to reduce its development cost. Great Britain didn't join because it was already involved with an American similar program, neither Germany who desisted officially because the country was unable to afford the financial participation.During the 2003 Paris Air Show, French Minister of Defence Mme Michèle Alliot-Marie
Michèle Alliot-Marie
Michèle Jeanne Honorine Alliot-Marie, born 10 September 1946 and nicknamed MAM, is a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement . A member of all but one right-wing governments of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, she was the first woman in France to hold the portfolios of Defense , the...
announced a major agreement signed between the French groups EADS France
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
, Dassault Aviation and Thales
Thales Group
The Thales Group is a French electronics company delivering information systems and services for the aerospace, defense, transportation and security markets...
. The agreement covered a joint-venture to "realise a new unmanned military technology that covers all future activity in combat and strategic reconnaissance aeronautics" i.e. LOGIDUC's phase three, "Grand Duc".
EADS leads a HALE (High Altitude, Long Endurance) UAV project.
Meanwhile, the French defence procurement agency, DGA, acting as the program executive on behalf of the participating countries, has entrusted development of the first nEUROn UCAV demonstrator to Dassault Aviation and its European partners. Sub-contracts have been made with the French industrial firms Thales and EADS France and also with five European firms, Saab (Sweden), EAB (Greece), Alenia (Italy), RUAG Aerospace (Switzerland) and EADS CASA (Spain).
Chief project manager Thierry Prunier comes from Dassault Aviation, and the deputy project managers are Mats Ohlson of Saab and Ermanno Bertolina of Alenia. There is a single link between the executive agency (DGA) and the prime contractor (Dassault), and it will be up to the executive agency to coordinate with the government agencies of the participating countries. It will be up to the prime contractor, meanwhile, to coordinate the work with the other industries.
After Spain joined the programme in early February 2006 (Belgium could join later), work breakdown among the European industrial partners was planned as follows::
Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets, a subsidiary of Dassault Group.It was founded in 1930 by Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marcel Bloch changed his name to Marcel Dassault, and the name of the...
: (launched European project in June 2003)
- Master builder
- Overall architectures & design
- Flight control system
- Final assembly
- Global testing (static & flight)
Dassault claims 50% of development and is responsible for the standalone LOGIDUC programme. The nEUROn (2010) will be the third Dassault stealth UAV prototype following the AVE-D Petit Duc (2000) & AVE-C Moyen Duc (2004). The nEUROn project replaces the LOGIDUC final phase AVE Grand Duc.
Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
: (joined on December 22, 2005)
- Overall design
- Equipped fuselage
- Avionics
- Fuel system
- Flight testing
Saab claims 25% of development and is also the coordinator for the other Swedish corporations involved.
Alenia Aeronautica
Alenia Aeronautica
Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica subsidiary, is a European aerospace company from Italy. Its subsidiaries include Alenia Aermacchi and Alenia Aeronavali...
: (joined in mid-2005)
- Weapon firing system
- Smart Integrated Weapon Bay
- Air data system
- Electrical system
- Flight testing
Thanks to the technologies developed for the UAV prototype Sky-x
Alenia Aeronautica Sky-x
-External links:*...
(2003) Alenia Aeronautica claims to is the first industrial partner with 22% share of the entire programme.
EADS CASA
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
: (joined on February 7, 2006)
- Wing
- Ground control station
- Data-link integration
EAB
Hellenic Aerospace Industry
Hellenic Aerospace Industry is the leading aerospace company of Greece. The company has undertaken over the years a great deal of subcontracting work with major International Aerospace companies and has accomplished many original developments in military electronics,...
: (joined on January 11, 2006)
- Rear fuselage
- Tail pipe
- Integration bench
- Engine
- Air to Air Missile
- Communication System
RUAG
RUAG
RUAG is a Swiss technology company, with its headquarters in Bern. It has production sites in Switzerland , Germany , Sweden , Hungary and Austria .-Structure:The RUAG has following subsidiaries:*RUAG Aerospace RUAG is a Swiss technology company, with its headquarters in Bern. It has production...
: (joined in mid-2005)
- Wind tunnel tests
- Weapons carriage
Thales
Thales Group
The Thales Group is a French electronics company delivering information systems and services for the aerospace, defense, transportation and security markets...
: (joined on June 14, 2005)
- Data-link (STANAG 7085STANAGSTANAG is the NATO abbreviation for Standardization Agreement, which sets up processes, procedures, terms, and conditions for common military or technical procedures or equipment between the member countries of the alliance. Each NATO state ratifies a STANAG and implements it within their own...
compliant) - Command interface
EADS France
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
: (joined in June 2003)
- Undisclosed
As of 2010, parts for the aircraft are under construction.
Funding
The contract is valued at €405 million, and allows industry to begin a three-year system definition and design phase with related low-observability studies. This phase will be followed by the development and assembly phase, and by a first flight in 2011. It is planned that the 2-year flight-test program (2010–2012) will entail about 100 sorties, including the launch of a laser-guided bomb tentatively scheduled for 2012. The initial €400 million budget was increased by €5 million in 2006 due to the addition of a modular bomb bay including a designator and a laser-guided bomb.On February 2006, DGA had announced that France will provide €202.5 million, half of the program's €405 million ($480 million) budget, while the remaining funds will be supplied by the other participating member nations. In December 2005, the Swedish defence ministry reported the national share would be €75 million, of which €66 million would be financed by Saab AB. The cost of Spain's participation to the program is estimated at €35.5 million, spread over the 2007-2012 period.
Derived production UCAV unit cost is estimated by Dassault to be €25 million.
Specifications
See also
External links
- Dassault nEUROn page
- Contract Launches Euro UCAV Demonstrator. Defense-Aeropace.com (Feb 10/06) -
- nEUROn Gains Altitude. AFCEA Signal Magazine (September 2005) -
- Europe’s UCAV Demonstrator Neuron Will Be a Stealth Platform (European Security, June 10, 2005)
- nEUROn project (Paris Air Show 2004) - nEUROn : Europe’s UCAV Demonstrator (European Security, June 10, 2004)
- nEUROn (AVE Grand Duc version) promotional featurette, June 11, 2005 (Dassault Aviation)
- nEUROn, AVE-C & AVE-D design and flight, Dassault Activities (Dassault Aviation)
- nEUROn (single-engine version) official gallery by Dassault (Scale model replica photographies & CG concept artworks)
- Unveilling the nEUROn Europe’s UCAV demonstrator by Dassault (June 11, 2005)
- The European technology demonstrator nEUROn, February 9, 2006, French Defence Ministry
- Thales joins Neuron UCAV programme (European Security)
- Drones in France. An official report by the French Ministry of Defence about the national history of drones.