LOCAL ROLE SEEN FOR BOMBER SKUNK WORKS JOINS TEAM TO DEVELOP UNMANNED CRAFT.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Lockheed Martin's Palmdale workers are expected to help Northrop Grumman develop unmanned bombers for the Air Force and Navy.

Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Integrated Systems sector announced the addition of the Skunk Works portion of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. to its joint unmanned combat air system (JUCAS) team. The exact role of the Skunk Works in the program is being negotiated.

The Skunk Works has a history of developing cutting-edge aircraft, including the U-2 spy plane and the F-117 stealth fighter.

``The combination of Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin creates a world-class team that will provide the best-value JUCAS solution to the U.S. government,'' said Scott Winship, Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems program director. ``Together, we offer unsurpassed capabilities in systems integration and innovative stealth design. Our team also brings extensive experience with integrating systems into the Navy's battle command network.''

Northrop Grumman is under contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to produce two full-scale flight demonstrators for the program.

After initially running separate programs for the Air Force and the Navy, the Pentagon is now starting a joint program to develop unmanned aircraft capable of conducting surveillance and bombing missions.

The joint Navy-Air Force design calls for a pilotless jet able to carry 4,500 pounds of weapons 1,300 miles into battle, then fly back. The Navy version must be able to take off and land on aircraft carriers.

Northrop Grumman had been working on the Navy program and Boeing on the Air Force program.

The Navy effort to develop an unmanned aircraft was still in the study phase when the Pentagon decided to combine the programs. However, Northrop Grumman, using its own money, built a $40 million aircraft called Pegasus to test technologies needed for the Navy. Pegasus, which was assembled in Mojave, completed its flight testing and is now in El Segundo.

Northrop Grumman's proposed design for an operational unmanned Navy fighter looks like a hybrid between Pegasus' kite shape and the flying-wing shape of the company's B-2 stealth bomber.

Anticipating the possible merging of the two separate programs, Northrop Grumman officials said the design would meet Air Force requirements.

No date has been set for when the first two demonstration aircraft will fly under the new combined program. Flight tests will likely start at the China Lake Naval Warfare Center near Ridgecrest and resume later at the Navy's flight test center in Maryland, officials said.

Boeing is already flight-testing two X-45A unmanned aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base to develop technologies for the Air Force fighter. The company had planned to develop a larger version, the X-45B, to continue that effort.

Under the joint program, Boeing will focus on designing and building an aircraft called the X-45C, which will test technologies for both military services. Boeing is being asked to build at least three X-45C prototypes.

The Navy X-45C will have changes to its structure and landing gear, a tail-hook mechanism and advanced electronics required to demonstrate its ability to land on an aircraft carrier.

The first flight of the X-45C is scheduled for early 2006, Boeing officials said.

Pentagon officials expect to triple spending on unmanned aircraft over the next seven years, using them to perform what it calls dangerous, dirty and just plain dull missions.

Those tasks include attacking enemy radar and missile sites, as well as conducting surveillance missions that last for hours - missions that human crews would find tedious.

A Defense Department report released last month said the Pentagon plans to invest $10 billion by the end of the decade in unmanned aircraft capable of a variety of combat missions, increasing their numbers from about 90 today to about 350 in 2010.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com