X-44 MANTA - All About All

X-44 MANTA

The X-44 MANTA (Multi-Axis No-Tail Aircraft) is intended to test the feasibility of full yaw, pitch and roll control without any use of tailplanes (horizontal or vertical). Attitude manipulation relies purely on 3D thrust vectoring.

The aircraft itself is an F/A-22-derived design featuring a stretched version of the F/A-22's delta wing and deletion of the tail surfaces.

There are scattered reports that this program has exceeded all expectations. The X-44 is even rumored to have performed 180 and 360 degree turns while maintaining the same heading, allowing it to attack in any direction while moving in any other direction. In any case, it would not likely fly before 2006.

Related content

Related development: F/A-22

Comparable aircraft:

Designation Series: X-41 - X-42 - X-43 - X-44 - X-45 - X-46 - X-47

See also:

• List of experimental aircraft
• X-plane