This website uses cookies
More information
Navigate directly to favourite company, aircraft and sector pages with our tracker feature.

Weekly news by email: See the latest Bulletin, and sign up free-of-charge for future editions.

News archive

Northrop Grumman SHEPARD X-Plane

14/05/2026News:
DARPA’s XRQ-73 SHEPARD hybrid-electric experimental aircraft takes off at Edwards Air Force Base.

DARPA hybrid-electric UAV takes off from Edwards

The remotely piloted SHEPARD demonstrator completed its April flight at Edwards Air Force Base as propulsion research continued.

06/05/2026Press Release:
DARPA’s XRQ-73 SHEPARD hybrid-electric experimental aircraft takes off at Edwards Air Force Base, California.		SHEPARD next-gen hybrid electric uncrewed aircraft takes flight
06/05/2026News:

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.

10/07/2024Press Release:
Northrop Grumman designed and built the XRQ-73 SHEPARD Hybrid Electric Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) X-Plane for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.		Northrop Grumman builds next-generation hybrid electric uncrewed X-plane for DARPA
26/06/2024News:
The Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration program, known as SHEPARD, sees its hybrid-electric uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) receive its official X-plane designation, XRQ-73.

DARPA dubs its newest X-plane XRQ-73

The XRQ-73 aircraft will be a Group 3 UAS weighing approximately 1,250 pounds, which draws on the earlier AFRL/IARPA Great Horned Owl (GHO) project. First flight is expected by year-end 2024.

© Airframer Limited, operated under licence by Stansted News Limited 2026.
Terms & Conditions of reading. Privacy policy.