The US Navy and global security company Northrop Grumman have partnered with Dell, using its data center solutions to help power the X-47B Unmanned Combart Air System.

X-47B is a tailless, strike fighter-sized unmanned aircraft developed as part of the US Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration program.

It is powered by Dell technology, including servers, storage and workstations.

The aircraft has been designed to provide surveillance, gather intelligance and carry out operations without putting serviceman at risk.

By using Dell’s commercial off-the-shelf technology to develop its ground control system, Northrop Grumman said it lowered costs and improved on timelines.

It has also been able to maintain and sustain its technology over the life of the program.

Last year two X-47B aircraft’s were used to successfully demonstrate the first ever carrier-based launches and recoveries by an autonomous, low-observable, relevant unmanned aircraft.

The aircraft designed and built by Northrop Grumman was recently recognized with the prestigious Robert J Collier Trophy – also awarded to Neil Armstrong in 1969 – for outstanding achievement in aeronautics.

Northrop Grumman’s X-47B project manager Pablo Gonzalez said developing the X-47B system required innovation not just technologically but also on cost.

“Dell presented us with a suite of commercial off-the-shelf solutions that gave us both performance and the flexibility needed for our IT infrastructure, while keeping costs low,” Gonzalez said.

The X-47B is expected to be in service by 2020.