X-47B UAV Successfully Lands On Aircraft Carrier

The U.S Navy landed the X-47B UAV on board an aircraft carrier on Wednesday successfully performing the first-ever arrested landing.

The Northrop Grumman drone landed on the moving flight of the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush off the coast of Virginia. It was the first time a tailless, unmanned autonomous aircraft landed on a modern aircraft carrier, according to an official statement.

"By evolving and integrating new technology like the X-47B and the unmanned aircraft to follow, carriers will remain relevant throughout their 50-year lifespan," Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said.

The X-47B completed a 35-minute transit from Pax River to the carrier and caught the arresting wire. The arrested landing effectively brought the aircraft from approximately 145 knots to stop in less than 350 feet.

Shortly after the initial landing, the aircraft was launched off the ship using the carrier's catapult. The X-47B then proceeded to execute one more arrested landing.

The X-47B is designed to carry out a wide range of combat missions - from search and surveillance operations to attacking enemy targets and was built with stealth technology.

It has a wingspan of 62 feet, a range of over 2,400 miles and is controlled almost entirely by a computer. The UAV is expected to enter service with the U.S Navy by 2018.