Hermeus, an unmanned aerospace defence firm, said last week it has completed the first supersonic flight of its unmanned Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 aircraft. According to the company, the aircraft reached Mach 1.21 on its third test flight.
The flight took place out of Spaceport America over White Sands Missile Range airspace. Two days later, Hermeus announced a $159 million contract modification with the Defense Innovation Unit, bringing the total contract ceiling to $219 million for high-Mach flight and high-speed payload release demonstrations with the U.S. Air Force and Navy.
“This program is about moving high-Mach capability out of the lab and into an operationally relevant environment,” Hermeus CEO and co-founder AJ Piplica said. “By delivering flight-ready aircraft and demonstrating payload release at speed, we will prove this technology can create a decisive military advantage on a timeline that matters. Our focus is on providing the Air Force and Navy with the validated data they need to transition these platforms into the future force.”
Powered by a Pratt & Whitney F100 engine, the Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 is the first of three F-16-scale supersonic aircraft in Hermeus’ current development plan. The company said follow-on aircraft, Quarterhorse Mk 2.2 and Mk 2.3, are being developed to expand the aircraft’s performance envelope.
Under the DIU agreement, Hermeus expects to conduct flight tests in 2026 and 2027 focused on sustained high-speed operations and payload release. The company said data from the campaign will be used to support future service evaluations.
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