Boeing X-45C

The Boeing X‑45C was a conceptual unmanned combat‑aircraft developed by Boeing Defense, Space & Security as part of the United States Navy’s effort to field a carrier‑based UCAV. Originating from the X‑45A/N technology demonstrators in the early 2000s, the X‑45C was envisioned as a larger, more capable follow‑on that could operate from aircraft carriers without pilot input. The design incorporated stealth shaping, a blended wing‑body layout, and integrated sensor‑fusion avionics that allowed autonomous route planning, target detection, and weapons release. Its advanced flight‑control system was intended to enable formation flying and cooperative engagement with manned aircraft, reducing crew workload and enhancing strike precision. Although the X‑45C never progressed beyond the design study phase, the program’s research contributed directly to later Navy projects such as the MQ‑25 Stingray and the MQ‑9 Reaper’s carrier adaptations. The X‑45C’s significance lies in its demonstration of how autonomous systems could be integrated into carrier operations, shaping doctrines for network‑centric warfare and influencing the broader evolution of unmanned combat platforms across the Air Force and Navy. Its legacy endures in ongoing research on fully autonomous carrier strike groups, where lessons from the X‑45C inform algorithms for swarm coordination and electronic warfare resilience.

Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Classification

Dimensions

Performance

Design & Classification