nEUROn, a stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) from France, has completed its first sea trial aboard the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle four years after it first took to the skies.

The Direction générale de l'armement (DGA), France's defense procurement and technology agency that buys weapon systems for the French military, said nEUROn flew out to sea for about an hour at an altitude of 1,000 feet. The flight test saw nEUROn perform aerial maneuvers above the nuclear-powered carrier. The UCAV, however, didn't land on the carrier.

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The nEUROn program is designed to validate the development of complex technologies representing all mission systems. These include high-level flight control and stealth; launching real air-to-ground weapons from an internal bay and integration in the C4I environment.

The test flights of the nEUROn technology demonstrator will allow the French Navy or the "Marine nationale" to explore use of a UCAV in naval operations. The next round of tests, which will take place at the DGA center in western France, will evaluate the UCAV's electromagnetic stealth capabilities. The drone has flown 123 times since December 2012.

The electromagnetic flying wing stealth drone has a maximum speed of 980 km/h and can climb as high as 14,000 meters. It can be mounted with two 230 kg guided bombs to attack targets. The drone will cost an estimated $27.6 million per unit, which is about what a manned fourth generation fighter costs.

France, however, has high hopes for nEUROn and plans to use the drone's technology in future French fighter jets. nEUROn won't become an operational combat aircraft but will serve as a platform for France's next generation drone stealth aircraft that might ultimately replace manned jet fighters.

nEUROn  is a joint project among France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Dassault Aviation is the prime contractor. Subcontractors are Airbus Defense & Space of Spain; Alenia of Italy; Hellenic Aerospace Industry of Greece; Ruag of Switzerland and Saab of Sweden.

TagsNeuron, unmanned combat aerial vehicle, France, Direction générale de l'armement, Dassault Aviation