Specifications
Year: 2021
Status: Retired, Limited Service
Manufacturer(s): Northrop Grumman (Autonomous Division) - USA
Production: 2
Capabilities: Reconnaissance (RECCE); Unmanned;
Status: Retired, Limited Service
Manufacturer(s): Northrop Grumman (Autonomous Division) - USA
Production: 2
Capabilities: Reconnaissance (RECCE); Unmanned;
Crew: 2
Length: 33.79 ft (10.3 m)
Width: 64.96 ft (19.8 m)
Height: 9.84 ft (3 m)
Weight (Empty): 2,579 lb (1,170 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 5,004 lb (2,270 kg)
Length: 33.79 ft (10.3 m)
Width: 64.96 ft (19.8 m)
Height: 9.84 ft (3 m)
Weight (Empty): 2,579 lb (1,170 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 5,004 lb (2,270 kg)
Power: 1 x Lycoming TO-549 piston engine (optional HFE fit) developing 350 horsepower and arranged in pusher configuration.
Ceiling: 30,003 feet (9,145 m; 5.68 miles)
Operators: United States (announced)
The Firebird prototype - designed by the specialists at Northrop-owned Scaled Composites - completed its first-flight in February of 2010. It was formally unveiled on May 9th, 2011 and the flight test phase ensued in late-2012. The Firebird marked one of the final projects headed by now-retired aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan.
The Firebird makes use of a twin-boom arrangement in which the fuselage is centralized in the design and carries the cockpit (if manned), avionics set, fuel stores, engine, and mission payload. The engine is buried in the aft-section of the fuselage driving a propeller unit in "pusher" fashion. The wing mainplanes are shoulder-mounted at the fuselage sides with inboard panels being level and outboard panels exhibiting slight dihedral. The mainplane lines are broken up by the main landing hear housings (a full tricycle configuration is used) which form the tips of the boom appendages. These appendages run through the wing members and terminate in vertical fins at the extreme rear of the aircraft, the fins then joined by a single elevator plane.
The aircraft is cleared to carry a payload of up to 1,240lb while power is from a single Lycoming TEO-540 piston-driven engine producing 350 horsepower and driving a multi-bladed propeller unit. Performance-wise, the platform can fly at altitudes of 30,000 feet for up to 40 hours and reach speeds of 230 miles-per-hour. Dimensions include a wingspan of 65 feet with a running length of 34 feet, and height of 9.7 feet. MTOW is rated at 5,000lb.
Program Updates
December 2018 - A second Firebird aircraft is undertaking flight trials.
July 2019 - The Firebird was debuted in Europe for the first time at the Royal International Air Tattoo air show.
July 2019 - Northrop Grumman has announced that two customers - US-based Grand Sky Development and US-based Tenax Aerospace - are now committed to its Firebird intelligence-gathering platform. Devlieries are expected in the latter part of 2021.
Armament
None. Mission equipment for the intelligence-gathering role. Equipment can also support other roles such as SIGnals INTelligence (SIGINT), communications relay and networking. Payload of up to 700lb (internally) to 1,240 pounds.
Variants / Models
• Firebird - Base Series Name.
