Hybrid electric UAS built for DARPA by Northrop Grumman
NewsJuly 11, 2024
REDONDO BEACH, California. Northrop Grumman Corporation has designed and built the XRQ-73 SHEPARD, a Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) vehicle designed and constructed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the company announced in a statement.
The XRQ-73 SHEPARD, developed in collaboration with Northrop Grumman's subsidiary Scaled Composites, is part of DARPA's "X-prime" program. This uncrewed aerial system (UAS) leverages hybrid electric architecture to rapidly mature new mission-focused aircraft designs, the statement reads.
The UAS aims to advance propulsion architecture and power class capabilities for the Department of Defense, the company says.
