US Navy's X-47B unmanned jet successfully lands on an aircraft carrier
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/PN7SIuRv1yORz6lpXHigGw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYyOQ--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/Cuj3cjUzEn13NCRuPVom0Q--~B/aD00MDY7dz02MjA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/12/x-45-12-11-12-01.jpg)
The US Navy's unmanned plane, the X-47B, has been in development for years. It first flew in 2011, began testing aboard an aircraft carrier in late 2012, and finally took off from a floating airstrip earlier this year. Taking off from a moving ship is easier than landing on one, of course, but the X-47B accomplished that task today when it successfully landed on the USS George H.W. Bush. And, just to show off, shortly thereafter the X-47B was launched from carrier via catapult and, once again, landed successfully. So, it looks to be only a matter of time before our Top Guns look more like Watson, and less like Tom Cruise.