Northrop Grumman XRQ-73 SHEPARD
Hybrid electric uncrewed aircraft
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Northrop Grumman XRQ-73 SHEPARD (Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration) is a tailless flying wing hybrid-electric Group 3 unmanned aerial vehicle (weighting about 1,250 lb (570 kg)) developed by Northrop Grumman.[1][2]
First flightApril 2026
| XRQ-73 SHEPARD | |
|---|---|
| |
| General information | |
| Type | Unmanned aerial vehicle/unmanned aircraft system |
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems |
| History | |
| First flight | April 2026 |
The prime contractor will be Northrop Grumman's Aeronautic Systems, with Scaled Composites,[2] Cornerstone Research Group, Brayton Energy, PC Krause and Associates, and EaglePicher Technologies as suppliers.[1]
The XRQ-73 is an evolution of the XRQ-72A Great Horned Owl (GHO).[1][3]
The first_flight planned for year-end of 2024 takes place in April 2026, from Edwards Air Force Base[4].
