Posted on 07/11/2024 11:19:59 AM PDT by Red Badger
Northrop Grumman designed and built the XRQ-73 SHEPARD Hybrid Electric Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) X-Plane for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – July 10, 2024 – (PHOTO RELEASE) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has announced the design and construction of the Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) vehicle. The uncrewed air system developed for DARPA recently received its official X-plane designation of XRQ-73.
Built in collaboration with Scaled Composites, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary, the XRQ-73 SHEPARD is a DARPA "X-prime" program leveraging hybrid electric architecture and component technologies to quickly mature a new mission-focused aircraft design with propulsion architecture and power class for the Department of Defense.
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The Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration program, known as SHEPARD, has received its official X-plane designation: XRQ-73.
SHEPARD is an "X-prime" program, leveraging the series hybrid electric architecture and some of the component technologies from the earlier AFRL/IARPA Great Horned Owl (GHO) project.
"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.”
The DARPA team includes members from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and our warfighters.
The prime contractor for SHEPARD is Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Aeronautics Systems sector in Redondo Beach, CA. Scaled Composites, LLC is a major supplier, along with Cornerstone Research Group, Inc., Brayton Energy, LLC, PC Krause and Associates, and EaglePicher Technologies, LLC.
The XRQ-73 aircraft will be a Group 3 UAS weighing approximately 1,250 pounds. First flight of the XRQ-73 is expected by year-end 2024.
RE: Next-Generation Hybrid Electric Uncrewed X-Plane for DARPA
So, what’s the value proposition here? Does it help us win wars against the enemy?
Well, no, but it lowers our carbon footprint.................
My guess: very low audible signature and no heat signature. Could really enhance stealth.
I can’t wait for the KC-135 electric charger!
The environmental renewable sustainability etc etc etc CRAP
Imagine a “battery low” light at 20,000 feet. May it happen to each and every science-challenged Biden-brain that actually believes the gubmit sponsored climate research.
I am an electric fan and look forward to electric everything when we have 1) adequate and dependable power generation, 2) adequate grid capacity, 3) inexpensive and much more power packed batteries, and 4) a government composed of folks with at least a two-digit IQ.
Presently, we have none of the above.
Probably can make its terminal approach to the target on batteries alone. No heat signature, low radar signature — hard to defend against.
Very likely to give great performance as a stealth reconnaissance drone.
We fiddle fart around with things like this while the Chicoms build a fleet of real combat aircraft to defeat all opponents. Brilliant.
Kinda ironic since the whole thing is made of carbon fiber composite materials.
Nazi Germany’s Horton Ho-229 still lives
Oh, they forgot to tell you - it takes an extension cord - a really lo-o-o-o-ng extension cord.
The Nazis didn’t have the computer surface controls necessary to keep it from crashing..............
With that wing loading they probably couldn't glide more than, oh, 35-40 miles dead stick from FL200.
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!
Red Badger already posted a more detailed report about the Darpa design: https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4247076/posts
When batteries have the energy density of Jet Fuel (JP4) on a lb for lb basis, wake me up and I will listen.
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