Boeing X - 45 The Boeing X - 45 unmanned combat air vehicle is a concept demonstrator for a next generation of completely autonomous military aircraft , developed by Boeing ' s Phantom Works . Manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems , the X - 45 was a part of DARPA ' s J - UCAS project . Development . Boeing developed the X - 45 from research gathered during the development of the Bird of Prey . The X - 45 features an extremely low - profile dorsal intake placed near the leading edge of the aircraft . The center fuselage is blended into a swept lambda wing , with a small exhaust outlet . It has no vertical control surfaces — split ailerons near each wingtip function as asymmetric air brakes , providing rudder control , much as in Northrop ' s flying wing s . Removing the pilot and its associated facilities dramatically reduces the aircraft ' s cost . Operators may remotely command the aircraft , but the actual piloting is autonomous . Variants . X - 45A . Boeing built two of the model X - 45A ; both were scaled - down proof - of - concept aircraft . The first was completed by Boeing ' s Phantom Works in September 2000 . The goal of the X - 45A technology demonstrator program was to develop the technologies needed to " conduct suppression of enemy air defense missions with unmanned combat air vehicles . " The first generation of unmanned combat air vehicles are primarily planned for air - to - ground roles with defensive air - to - air capabilities coupled with significant remote piloting . The X - 45A had its first flight on May 22 , 2002 , and the second vehicle followed in November of that year . On April 18 , 2004 , the X - 45A ' s first bombing run test at Edwards Air Force Base was successful ; it hit a ground target with a 250 - pound inert precision - guided munition . On August 1 , 2004 , for the first time , two X - 45As were controlled in flight simultaneously by one ground controller . On February 4 , 2005 , on their 50th flight , the two X - 45As took off into a patrol pattern and were then alerted to the presence of a target . The X - 45As then autonomously determined which vehicle held the optimum position , weapons ( notional ) , and fuel load to properly attack the target . After making that decision , one of the X - 45As changed course and the pilot - operator allowed it to attack the simulated antiaircraft emplacement . Following a successful strike , another simulated threat , this time disguised , emerged and was subsequently destroyed by the second X - 45A . This demonstrated the ability of these vehicles to work autonomously as a team and manage their resources , as well as to engage previously - undetected targets , which is significantly harder than following a predetermined attack path . After the completion of the flight test program , both X - 45As were sent to museums , one to the National Air and Space Museum , and the other to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , where it was inducted on November 13 , 2006 . X - 45B / C . The larger X - 45B design was modified to have even more fuel capacity and three times greater combat range , becoming the X - 45C . Each wing ' s leading edge spans from the nose to the wingtip , giving the aircraft more wing area , and a planform very similar to the B - 2 Spirit s ' . The first of the three planned X - 45C aircraft was originally scheduled to be completed in 2006 , with capability demonstrations scheduled for early 2007 . By 2010 Boeing hoped to complete an autonomous aerial refueling of the X - 45C by a KC - 135 Stratotanker . Boeing has displayed a mock - up of the X - 45C on static displays at many airshows . The X - 45C portion of the program received $ 767 million from DARPA in October 2004 , to construct and test three aircraft , along with several supplemental goals . The X - 45C included an F404 engine . In July 2005 DARPA awarded an additional $ 175 million to continue the program , as well as implement autonomous Aerial Refueling technology . As of March 2 , 2006 , the US Air Force has decided not to continue with the X - 45 project . However , Boeing submitted a proposal to the Navy for a carrier based demonstrator version of the X - 45 , designated the X - 45N . X - 45N . The X - 45N was Boeing ' s proposal to the Navy ' s Unmanned Combat Air Systems demonstration project . When it became known that the US Air Force would end funding to the Joint Unmanned Combat Air System program ( which included the X - 45 and X - 47 ) , the US Navy started its own UCAS program . Requirements were defined over the summer of 2006 , and proposals were submitted in April 2007 . The first flight of the X - 45N was planned for November 2008 , had Boeing won the contract . The contract was eventually awarded to Northrop Grumman ' s proposed naval X - 47 , thus ending the X - 45 program . The software Boeing developed to allow the X - 45N to land and takeoff autonomously on aircraft carriers has recently been installed on the first F / A - 18F , which has used it to perform autonomous approaches . All autonomous approaches ended with a wave - off by design . This Super Hornet is expected to be able to hook the carrier ' s arrester cables autonomously by the 2009 timeframe , setting the stage for carrier - borne UAV operations . Phantom Ray . Boeing planned to develop and demonstrate an unmanned flying test bed for advanced air system technologies . The internally funded program , called Phantom Ray , uses the X - 45C prototype vehicle that Boeing originally developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA ) / U . S . Air Force / U . S . Navy Joint - Unmanned Combat Air System ( J - UCAS ) program . The UAV was not aimed at any particular program or competition . However , Boeing may plan to use a design based on the Phantom Ray for the Navy ' s unmanned carrier - launched surveillance and strike ( UCLASS ) program .