Lockheed Martin Polecat

Polecat
A picture of the Lockheed-Martin Polecat released at the Farnborough Airshow in 2006
Role Unmanned aerial vehicle
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin Skunk Works
First flight 2005
Retired December 18, 2006
Number built 1

The Lockheed Martin Polecat (company designation P-175) was an unmanned aerial vehicle by Lockheed Martin. It was developed by the company's Advanced Development Programs division in Palmdale, California. "Polecat" is a colloquialism for a skunk, in an apparent reference to the popular "Skunk Works" nickname for the Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs division.

Design and development

Designated P-175, the Polecat was funded internally by Lockheed Martin (as opposed to using United States Government funds) at the beginning of 2005. The prototype was unveiled at the 2006 Farnborough Airshow.[1][2] It was developed over a period of 18 months.[3]

On December 18, 2006, the aircraft crashed due to an "irreversible unintentional failure in the flight termination ground equipment, which caused the aircraft's automatic fail-safe flight termination mode to activate."[4]

Specifications

General characteristics

  • Crew: 0
  • Capacity: 1,000 lb (450 kg) of weapons or sensors
  • Wingspan: 90 ft 0 in (27.44 m)
  • Gross weight: 9,000 lb (4,082 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Williams FJ44-3E turbofan engines, 3,010 lbf (13.38 kN) thrust each

Performance

  • Endurance: 4 hours
  • Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (20,000 m)

References

  1. ↑ "Farnborough picture: Lockheed Martin Skunk Works releases picture of secret Polecat UAV." Flight International. July 19, 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2013
  2. ↑ "Aviation Week ShowNews Farnborough Day 4 E-zine." Aviation Week & Space Technology. July 20, 2006.
  3. ↑ Butler, A. "Lockheed Unveils Secret Polecat UAV Design." Aviation Week & Space Technology. July 19, 2006.
  4. ↑ Trimble, S. "What Killed the Polecat?." Flightglobal.com. July, 2007.
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