DARPA and Northrop Grumman fly XRQ-73 hybrid-electric demonstrator

Hybrid-electric flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base has advanced efforts to develop lower-emission military aircraft with greater operational flexibility.

DARPA, alongside the Air Force Research Laboratory and Northrop Grumman, has flown the XRQ-73 hybrid-electric unmanned experimental aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base as part of the Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) programme.

The flight took place in April 2026 and forms part of ongoing work to explore the military applications of hybrid-electric propulsion systems.

According to DARPA, hybrid-electric propulsion could support future aircraft designs by improving fuel efficiency, reducing emissions and increasing operational flexibility.

“This milestone is not just about a single flight,” says Lt. Col. Clark McGehee, SHEPARD program manager. “The architecture proven by the XRQ-73 paves the way for new types of mission systems and delivered effects. We look forward to advancing this technology through the flight test program and delivering new capabilities for our warfighters.”