Northrop Grumman YFQ-48 Talon Blue
Unmanned combat aircraft under development by Northrop Grumman
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The Northrop Grumman YFQ-48 Talon Blue[1], is a loyal wingman type unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) currently under development by Northrop Grumman. The aircraft is one of the designs competing for Increment II of the United States Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program and is intended to augment crewed fighter aircraft such as the F-15EX Eagle II, F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning, and the planned Next Generation Air Dominance fighter for air-to-air missions through manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T).[2]
| YFQ-48 Talon Blue | |
|---|---|
| YFQ-48 undated photo | |
| General information | |
| Type | |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman, Scaled Composites |
| Status | Under development |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
Development and design
The YFQ-48 was developed using lessons from Northrop Grumman's failed bid for Increment I of the U.S. Air Force CCA program. The company had submitted a design that was larger and more expensive than the ones that were selected to move forward with Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), the General Atomics YFQ-42 and Anduril YFQ-44. Based on this feedback, Northrop Grumman and its subsidiary Scaled Composites, under the codename "Project Lotus", began developing a follow-on unmanned aerial system that was smaller, simpler, and less expensive, with 50% fewer parts and 1,000 lb (454 kg) lighter in weight.[3][4] "Project Lotus" was later renamed "Project Talon", and the design would receive the YFQ-48 designation from the USAF in December 2025, with first flight projected in 2026.[5]
The YFQ-48 is an unmanned aerial vehicle with a long, slender fuselage, swept lambda wings, V-tails, and air inlet mounted on top of the fuselage. It is powered by a PW500 variant. The main landing gears are widely spaced and retract into the wings.[3]
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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