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 ) developed by Northrop Grumman.
The prime contractor will be Northrop Grumman's Aeronautic Systems, with Scaled Composites, Cornerstone Research Group, Brayton Energy, PC Krause and Associates, and EaglePicher Technologies as suppliers.
The XRQ-73 is an evolution of the XRQ-72A Great Horned Owl (GHO).
The first flight took place in April 2026, from Edwards Air Force Base;https://www.opex360.com/2026/05/08/lagence-du-pentagone-dediee-a-linnovation-a-fait-voler-le-xrq-73-un-drone-a-propulsion-hybride-revolutionnaire/#comments DARPA did not officially release the precise date, but reports were that it was on April 14.
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