Aircraft
Neuron Program Completes Stealth Test Flights
Pan-European UCAV demonstrator advances, while progress with the all-British equivalent remains unclear
This overhead view of the Neuron demonstrator at Decimomannu airbase shows additional stealth treatments applied to antenna and access bay doors for this phase of flight testing. (photo: Alenia Aermacchi)
This overhead view of the Neuron demonstrator at Decimomannu airbase shows additional stealth treatments applied to antenna and access bay doors for this phase of flight testing. (photo: Alenia Aermacchi)

Alenia Aermacchi reported the successful completion of the flight-test phase in Italy of the pan-European Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator. The company said that “12 highly sensitive sorties to verify the radar cross section (RCS) and infrared signature” had taken place from Decimomannu airbase in Sardinia. The single Neuron air vehicle is now undertaking further RCS flight tests in Sweden, plus the dropping of GPS-guided bombs on the Vidsel range.