Looking like a miniature B-21 bomber, DARPA has shown off its new Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) program aircraft. Called the XRQ-73, the long-range hybrid-electric drone is scheduled to fly by the end of the year.
Having received its official X-plane designation, the XRQ-73 is an example of how drone technology is progressing in military circles. This is not only a hybrid electric propulsion uncrewed aircraft, but one that is designed for both long endurance and a high degree of stealth, indicating that its missions could be well into hostile territory carrying a significant payload.
Being built by a consortium led by Northrop Grumman, the XRQ-73 is an advanced version of the Great Horned Owl (GHO), an Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) program supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), though on a larger scale and with a stealthier profile.
Where the GHO weighed about 400 lb (180 kg), the XRQ-73 is a Group 3 drone, which means it will have a weight of up to 1,250 lb (567 kg) and a top speed of 250 kn (287 mph, 463 km/h).
Another difference is that the flying wing design is more streamlined, with the electric engines inside the fuselage instead of on four pods mounted atop the aft section. The purpose of the new X-plane project is to mature the GHO technology as fast as possible and to get it operational within 20 months.
"The idea behind a DARPA X-prime program is to take emerging technologies and burn down system-level integration risks to quickly mature a new missionized long endurance aircraft design that can be fielded quickly," said Steve Komadina, SHEPARD program manager. "The SHEPARD program is maturing a specific propulsion architecture and power class as an exemplar of potential benefits for the Department of Defense."
Source: DARPA