The Phantom Ray, part of Boeing’s Project Reblue, is a demonstrator aircraft which except for a select few engineers and executives was kept a secret, even within the company until May 2009. The stealth unmanned combat air vehicle was conceptualized in 2007 but not in full swing until in June 2008. May 10, 2010 The phantom ray was presented after which the aircraft was scheduled to complete, in 6 months, 10 test flights show casing its ability’s in mock scenarios such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; hunter/killer; and autonomous aerial refueling. The Phantom ray made is first flight, after a series of delays, in April 27, 2011.
 |
| Photo: Boeing |
The Phantom Ray has a length of 36ft (11m), a 50ft (15m) wingspan, its maximum take off weight is 36,500ib (16,556kg), with a maximum speed of Mach 0.85 and a cruising speed of 614mph (Mach 0.8), and has a range of 1,500mi (2,414km). Boeing first development for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy Joint-Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) programs was the X-45C prototype that the phantom Ray was modeled after. Its current status is Under development however Boeing suspects that that the Phantom Ray will be the first of a new prototype aircraft series.