EADS Barracuda

Barracuda
General information
TypeReconnaissance and UCAV
National originGermany and Spain
ManufacturerEADS
History
First flight2 April 2006

The EADS Barracuda was a jet powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), EADS, used for the role of aerial reconnaissance and also combat (like UCAV).[1] The aircraft was a joint venture between Germany and Spain.

Development of the project was stopped after the first prototype crashed at Mar Menor while approaching for landing during a test flight.[2] The program was resumed in 2008, with a second prototype being completed in November 2008. The rebuilt Barracuda underwent a series of successful flight tests in Goose Bay, Canada during July 2009,[3] followed by further flight campaigns in 2010[4] and 2012.[5]

The Barracuda's primary competition was Dassault nEUROn for strategic and defensive contracts. Both were stealthy and had a maximum air speed of around Mach 0.85. While Germany and Spain were behind the Barracuda, France, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, and Spain as well funded the nEUROn.[6] It had an operating ceiling of around 20,000 ft (6,096 m) and carried a maximum payload of 300 kg.[7]

It was retired after six test campaigns.

  1. ^ UAV demonstrator opens up new technology perspectives for EADS Archived 2006-06-18 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ EADS Stops Barracuda UCAV Demonstrator Development Archived 2008-07-05 at the Wayback Machine, Air-attack.com, 13 September 2007
  3. ^ EADS press release on Barracuda flight tests in Canada, 2009[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ Cassidian Barracuda page Archived 2013-01-19 at archive.today
  5. ^ Cassidian press release on 2012 Barracuda flight campaign Archived 2012-08-23 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Barracuda Demonstrator Unmanned Air Vehicle Developed by EADS Military Air Systems - Army Technology". www.army-technology.com. Retrieved 2020-11-17.