Airbus’ stealth UAV ‘LOUT’


Airbus' has recently its concept for a stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle demonstrator for the German Government. Model of the Low Observable UAV Tested (LOUT) was displayed during a media briefing in November, but the project remains highly secretive and very limited details were provided. LOUT development work began in 2007 at Manching near Munich and Bremen in what the company calls "Skunk Works approach". LOUT was developed to demonstrate, "wideband signature reduction technologies and (be) a testbed for further VLO integration". The LOUT concept has a distinctive diamond-shaped planform with a configuration intended to support "radar, infrared, visual and acoustic stealth".

Airbus and the German defence ministry are also using the programme to investigate stealth technologies for future manned aircraft too and it seems certain that technologies tested in the programme could be incorporated in the Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS).