Overview:
Built in collaboration with Northrop Grumman subsidiary Scaled Composites and DARPA, The XRQ-73 is set to redefine the meaning of Stealth for Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Featuring a revolutionary hybrid-electric propulsion system, the XRQ-73 builds on previous stealth features incorporated into earlier types of Information, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) UAVs to achieve new levels of stealth.
Previous UAV systems in this class utilized a dedicated internal combustion engine (ICE), which generates significant heat signatures, and thus, were previously easier to detect.
The use of a hybrid-electric motor system by the XRQ-73 means the following:
A smaller motor can be used, with less overall heat generated, reducing heat signatures and the chance of being detected.
Greater fuel economy, with longer ranges and time on station for ISR missions
And an “All Electric” mode can be implemented, eliminating the majority of the heat generated from a combustion engine during normal operation, further reducing the chances of detection.
These new capabilities of the XRQ-73 Shepard, combined with other, proven stealth capabilities, ensure that the Shepard will achieve never before seen levels of stealth as it stalks through the skies undetected.
References:
Our Best Look Yet At The XRQ-73 Hybrid-Electric Stealthy Flying Wing Drone
Shadowy XRQ-73 Hybrid-Electric Stealthy Flying Wing Drone Emerges
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