DARPA searched around for another service sponsor, was unable to find one, and axed the procurement of the demonstrators at the end of the year.
(meta data) TITLE: Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) | Secret Projects Forum (meta data) PUBLISHED DATETIME: 2007-05-05T21:18:51+0100 Log in What's new New posts Search forums Log in ### Hi Guest! Forum rules have been updated. All users please read here. # Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) Thread starter Start date May 5, 2007 1 of 2 #### Jemiba ##### CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret Staff member Top Contributor Senior Member Mar 11, 2006 Reaction score May 5, 2007 #1 "Piasecki also had some interesting ideas on rotorcraft unmanned air vehicles for the US Army's Future Combat Systems, including a modern version of its AirGeep, but they were cancelled last year." Yes, the UCAR program was cancelled (UCAR = US Cancelled Another Rotorcraft ), but I think, reasons weren't mostly in the field of aerodynamics, or structures, but in the demands for more autonomy of the UAV in comparison with, say the Predator. #### CammNut ##### CLEARANCE: Secret Feb 1, 2007 Reaction score May 6, 2007 #2 UCAR was not part of the Future Combat Systems programme - which started out with four classes of UAV from a Honeywell ducted fan small enough to carry in a backpack (Class I) up to the Northrop Grumman Fire Scout (Class IV) - but I agree the army has cancelled a lot of rotorcraft programmes. UCAR was a DARPA programme for a unmanned rotorcraft that could work in "packs" with manned helicopters, and was going quite well (in the laboratory) until the US Army said it wasn't going to fund it any more. Piasecki's FCS UAV designs were aimed at the vehicle-carried Class II (the AirGeep derivative) and containerised Class III (a modified autogyro) requirements. Here are some view of Lockheed Martin's UCAR #### Attachments LM UCAR_left.jpg 122.3 KB Views: 1,051 LM UCAR_right.jpg 89.4 KB Views: 937 LM UCAR_side1.jpg 104.7 KB Views: 956 #### CammNut ##### CLEARANCE: Secret Feb 1, 2007 Reaction score May 7, 2007 #3 And here are some images of Northrop Grumman's UCAR, which used the intermeshing-rotor dynamic system from the Kaman K-Max external lifter. #### Attachments NG_UCAR_Approach.JPG 438.1 KB Views: 1,191 NG_UCAR_Urban_Zone.JPG 444.8 KB Views: 1,100 #### flateric ##### CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret Staff member Top Contributor Senior Member Apr 2, 2006 Reaction score Jun 8, 2007 #4 Anyone close to (I know you are here) can say what's happening to UCAR? I've already noticed that before one decides to grab 'this cool looking pics' on his hard drive from the net, many programs are disappearing from the horizon... #### flateric ##### CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret Staff member Top Contributor Senior Member Apr 2, 2006 Reaction score Jun 8, 2007 #5 Oh, damn... So cool I have got a while promo stuff on the thing(s) from <...>. Even filenames match))) #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Mar 28, 2010 #6 I know there has been various discussion, info, and pictures lurking here and there in different threads, but I agree with Flateric that we should start seperate thread. I found some pdf, but doesn't find it appropriate to post in the recent uav/ucav thread anymore, partly due to how long ago that thread was. I also request that the posts reguarding ucar from the other thread merged to this one? Anyway, here's what I found: #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Mar 28, 2010 #7 Some pix from the links: #### Attachments 27.2 KB Views: 100 23.2 KB Views: 155 32.6 KB Views: 204 32.3 KB Views: 104 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Mar 28, 2010 #8 #### Attachments 174.6 KB Views: 146 9.6 KB Views: 57 18.1 KB Views: 61 11.4 KB Views: 60 14.9 KB Views: 44 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Mar 28, 2010 #9 #### Attachments 13.1 KB Views: 71 10.6 KB Views: 80 64.7 KB Views: 127 55.8 KB Views: 111 14.9 KB Views: 76 11.4 KB Views: 48 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Mar 30, 2010 #10 Does anyone know why when I "save as" the picture from the pdf, it comes out so much darker than the original? #### turboshaft ##### CLEARANCE: Restricted Feb 11, 2007 Reaction score Apr 1, 2010 #11 The original proposals from Boeing, LM and NG, plus a couple more images of the goblin in action (from the good ol' days of 2004 when the margin for 'acceptable collateral damage' was somewhat higher). #### Attachments UCAR NG MOUT.jpg 212.1 KB Views: 149 UCAR NG & Hellfire. JPG 438.1 KB Views: 108 UCAR NG initial.jpg 370.1 KB Views: 124 UCAR LM initial.jpg 14.6 KB Views: 102 UCAR Boeing initial.jpg 31.9 KB Views: 76 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Apr 2, 2010 #12 In the fall report, the chart that shows the teaming and the responsibilities shared by team member indicates that northrop space division would provide high-energy laser. Does that mean they planned for the ucar to have directed energy weapon? #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score May 18, 2010 #13 Here's a short clip of the video I found. I really need help to find the rest of it (the entire video should be 9 minutes long). It would be great if anyone has it or know a way to gain access to it. I originally found it here: It was part of this paper: #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score May 20, 2010 #14 Cartercopter with its heliplane concept were selected by Northrop Grumman to be on the team, but later, NG opted for Kaman instead. They called it cc-ucar. From Popular Machanics october 2002: #### Attachments 125 KB Views: 139 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Jan 19, 2011 #15 finally i found a larger version of this: Mod edit: replaced by the high-res image in the further post #### Matej ##### Multiuniversal creator Feb 13, 2006 Reaction score Jan 19, 2011 #16 What about this? BTW does anybody have the idea what the Sikorsky originally proposed? #### Attachments 961.5 KB Views: 835 #### Stargazer2006 ##### CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret Staff member Senior Member Jun 25, 2009 Reaction score Jan 20, 2011 #17 Well, I have only one picture of something supposed to be a Sikorsky UCAR proposal, but find neither the artwork nor the design too convincing... See for yourself. #### Attachments 14.7 KB Views: 1,064 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Jan 20, 2011 #18 Matej said: What about this? BTW does anybody have the idea what the Sikorsky originally proposed? Click to expand... thanks bud. Here's the sikorsky/raytheon proposal, from flightglobal archive, I think. I don't know if this is their submitted design or simply a generic design: #### Attachments 72.7 KB Views: 722 #### Matej ##### Multiuniversal creator Feb 13, 2006 Reaction score Jan 20, 2011 #19 Thanks. At least something to begin with. Stargazer2006 said: Well, I have only one picture of something supposed to be a Sikorsky UCAR proposal, but find neither the artwork nor the design too convincing... See for yourself. Click to expand... To me it looks like one of the UHV (Unmanned Hybrid Vehicle) concepts. #### InvisibleDefender ##### CLEARANCE: Confidential Senior Member Oct 27, 2010 Reaction score Jan 20, 2011 #20 pdf article - posted here with permisison #### Attachments The Battle for UCAR.pdf 634 KB Views: 80 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Jul 22, 2011 #21 R S models of Lockheed/Bell proposal. Note the evolution of Lockheed/Bell models from faceted shaping to a more blended one: #### Attachments 97.7 KB Views: 563 41.1 KB Views: 556 85 KB Views: 435 75.2 KB Views: 89 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Jul 22, 2011 #22 Some more: #### Attachments 30 KB Views: 89 33.9 KB Views: 121 38.3 KB Views: 125 40.9 KB Views: 82 #### InvisibleDefender ##### CLEARANCE: Confidential Senior Member Oct 27, 2010 Reaction score Jul 22, 2011 #23 Very cool Donnage - thanks for sharing! Is that trade show model in your fornt yard? And where are all those desk models at? Sadly, I never got one. #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Jul 22, 2011 #24 These are not mine. I found it here (I thought I posted the link, but turned out I didn't): I think Bell hired these guys to make those models for them. #### fightingirish ##### CLEARANCE: Top Secret Senior Member Jun 3, 2006 Reaction score Oct 7, 2011 #25 LM UCAR RCS models: #### Attachments ratscat helo 1.jpg 43.3 KB Views: 652 ratscat helo 2.jpg 32.6 KB Views: 645 #### donnage99 ##### "Robert Gates, is that you??" sublight Jun 17, 2008 Reaction score Oct 7, 2011 #26 fightingirish said: LM UCAR RCS models: Click to expand... The one on the left is Northrop and the one on the right is lockmart #### XP67_Moonbat ##### CLEARANCE: Top Secret Jan 16, 2008 Reaction score Nov 27, 2011 #27 #### Mark Nankivil ##### CLEARANCE: Top Secret Top Contributor Senior Member Jun 13, 2007 Reaction score Sep 6, 2012 #28 Good Day All - An info sheet on Boeing's UCAR proposal which I picked up during a recent visit to the Boeing Prologue Room. Enjoy the Day! Mark #### Attachments xBoeing UCAR Cut Sheet.jpg 185.6 KB Views: 78 #### antigravite ##### CLEARANCE: Top Secret Apr 25, 2008 Reaction score Dec 8, 2013 #29 Hi, I'm not sure this has ever been posted/noticed here but here is something that might be connected. The Howland Company is a radar range building specialist and their website offers a wild bunch of information on most US RCS aerospace facilities (cause they built them - my understanding). One page displays something quite unusual that might be connected to the present topic: two different stealth helicopter models claimed to be tested at the RATSCAT facility. The pictures seems to date back to a long while ago before digital camera were common. So... #### Attachments ratscat helo 2.jpg 32.6 KB Views: 503 ratscat helo 1.jpg 43.3 KB Views: 505 #### flateric ##### CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret Staff member Top Contributor Senior Member Apr 2, 2006 Reaction score Dec 8, 2013 #30 these are UCAR RCS models #### xstatic3000 ##### CLEARANCE: Confidential Sep 16, 2008 Reaction score Dec 8, 2013 #31 Flateric beat me to it - however, some of the UCAR concepts provide a glimpse into the direction of LO rotorcraft design in the late 90's to early 2000's: #### antigravite ##### CLEARANCE: Top Secret Apr 25, 2008 Reaction score Dec 8, 2013 #32 xstatic3000 said: Flateric beat me to it - however, some of the UCAR concepts provide a glimpse into the direction of LO rotorcraft design in the late 80's to the early 90's: Click to expand... Ooopss really sorry… Most sincere apologies... I even noticed these pictures had already been posted by [fightingirish] on october 7th, 2011, in this more appropriate thread/post: fightingirish said: LM UCAR RCS models: Click to expand... ... Errr... My mistake... Sorry guys... #### quellish ##### I am not actually here. Senior Member Aug 6, 2007 Reaction score Dec 8, 2013 #33 xstatic3000 said: Flateric beat me to it - however, some of the UCAR concepts provide a glimpse into the direction of LO rotorcraft design in the late 80's to the early 90's: Click to expand... UCAR was early 2000s. #### Triton ##### Donald McKelvy Senior Member Aug 14, 2009 Reaction score Jan 20, 2014 #34 Artist's impression of Boeing UCAR (Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft) from Boeing Frontiers magazine May 2003. Source: #### Attachments 16.9 KB Views: 717 #### Triton ##### Donald McKelvy Senior Member Aug 14, 2009 Reaction score Jan 20, 2014 #35 Artist's impressions of Northrop Grumman/Kaman UCAR concept. Source: #### Attachments 38.8 KB Views: 724 #### Triton ##### Donald McKelvy Senior Member Aug 14, 2009 Reaction score Mar 9, 2015 #36 Video of Northrop Grumman/Kaman UCAR concept desktop model manufactured by PacMin. #### flateric ##### CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret Staff member Top Contributor Senior Member Apr 2, 2006 Reaction score May 15, 2015 #37 #### Attachments 49.6 KB Views: 512 39.4 KB Views: 493 #### Triton ##### Donald McKelvy Senior Member Aug 14, 2009 Reaction score Feb 16, 2017 #38 Artist's impression of Northrop Grumman-Kaman UCAR concept courtesy of Aldo Spadoni. #### Attachments 79.5 KB Views: 370 #### flateric ##### CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret Staff member Top Contributor Senior Member Apr 2, 2006 Reaction score Aug 11, 2017 #39 #### Attachments northrop-grumman-ucar-desk-model_1_38cb6fd3aad79e2b1bfd1e1117107545 (2).jpg 54.7 KB Views: 39 northrop-grumman-ucar-desk-model_1_38cb6fd3aad79e2b1bfd1e1117107545 (1).jpg 50.1 KB Views: 46 northrop-grumman-ucar-desk-model_1_38cb6fd3aad79e2b1bfd1e1117107545.jpg 53.6 KB Views: 46 #### flateric ##### CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret Staff member Top Contributor Senior Member Apr 2, 2006 Reaction score Aug 11, 2017 #40 #### Attachments pacmin-pacific-miniatures-35-northrop_1_0b0edc970b1368bc8c78573c683f4bde.jpg 19 KB Views: 37 pacmin-pacific-miniatures-35-northrop_1_0b0edc970b1368bc8c78573c683f4bde (1).jpg 18 KB Views: 43 pacmin-pacific-miniatures-35-northrop_1_0b0edc970b1368bc8c78573c683f4bde (2).jpg 17.9 KB Views: 34 pacmin-pacific-miniatures-35-northrop_1_0b0edc970b1368bc8c78573c683f4bde (3).jpg 19.8 KB Views: 31 1 of 2 You must log in or register to reply here.
train34822
Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft
Outcome.
The Army seemed very enthusiastic about the program, but then pulled out abruptly late in 2004, citing more immediate demands on aviation funding.