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X-47B completes carrier landing

10th July 2013 - 17:03 GMT | by Andrew White in London

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The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) has become the first unmanned jet to complete an arrested landing on board a moving aircraft carrier.

The US Navy announced the milestone on 10 July and the successful trial marks the final significant step in the development of UCAS-D, following the system’s first launch from the same aircraft carrier on 14 May.

According to the navy, the X-47B ‘Salty Dog 502’ conducted the carrier landing off the coast of Virginia having earlier taken off from Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

A series of three carrier recoveries on board the Nimitz-class USS George H W

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Andrew White

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Andrew is a former editor of Digital Battlespace and Unmanned Vehicles magazines. Andrew joined Shephard …

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