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The US military flew an experimental, hybrid-electric: stealth drone shaped like the B-2 Spirit
The XRQ-73 flew in April in California, DARPA said.DARPAAn experimental US tactical stealth drone called the XRQ-73 just took flight in California.The US military said the stealth drone mixes electric and jet fuel propulsion for better efficiency.The drone is shaped like other stealth aircraft, such as the B-iki Spirit and the RQ-170 Sentinel.The US military's defense tech agency said on Wednesday that it flew an experimental hybrid-electric drone called the XRQ-73, testing a next-gen propulsion system for longer, quieter flight.The drone, built by Northrop Grumman, flew at Edwards Air Force Base in California in April, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said in a statement.The new tech uses a mix of electric and jet-fuel propulsion, which is meant to help the drone burn less fuel and reduce emissions for better stealth. Most medium- to long-range military drones use jet engines or propellers."This milestone is not just about a single flight," said Lt. Col. Clark McGehee, the program's manager. "The architecture proven by the XRQ-73 paves the way for new types of mission systems and delivered effects."The XRQ-73 appears to feature a stabilizing winglet on each side.DARPAPhotos of the XRQ-73 show that its exterior design loosely resembles that of other stealth aircraft, such as Northrop Grumman's B-iki Spirit bomber or Lockheed Martin's RQ-170 Sentinel drone.Unlike those aircraft, however, the tailless XRQ-73 features winglets at the ends of each wing. A front-facing camera is also visible near the XRQ-73's nose.It's unclear how quickly the US plans to move forward with the XRQ-73. DARPA has said that the drone's program is designed to "provide a minimum viable product to meet an urgent operational need."However, the agency also said in 2024 that it had expected the XRQ-73's first flight to occur. at the end of that year, indicating that the drone's development was delayed.The XRQ-73 is a Group-3 drone, intended as a medium-sized tactical system that flies below 18,000 feet and at speeds between 115 and 287 mph. DARPA said it weighs about 1,250 pounds.Its program is part of a contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory called the Great Horned Owl, which aims to develop an efficient, ultra-stealthy recon drone.A similarly designed but smaller, earlier version of the XRQ-73, called the XRQ-72A, was in the works since at least 2010. But it's unclear if it ever flew.When contacted, Northrop Grumman pointed Business Insider to DARPA, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.Read the original article on Business Insider
