EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory and Northrop Grumman Corporation, successfully flew the XRQ-73, a hybrid-electric unmanned experimental aircraft during a test flight conducted in April 2026 at Edwards Air Force Base.
According to a written statement released May 6, 2026, the flight was conducted as part of DARPA’s Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) program and marks a milestone in the development of hybrid-electric propulsion systems for future military aircraft.
According to the statement, the flight represents a step forward in demonstrating the military utility of hybrid-electric propulsion technology. DARPA said hybrid-electric propulsion architectures are expected to support “revolutionary new aircraft designs” by offering improved fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and enhanced operational flexibility.
The XRQ-73 received its official X-plane designation in June 2024 as part of the SHEPARD program, which DARPA described as an “X-prime” initiative focused on rapidly maturing emerging technologies into operational military systems.
“The idea behind a DARPA X-prime program is to take emerging technologies and burn down system-level integration risks to quickly mature a new missionized long endurance aircraft design that can be fielded quickly,” said Steve Komadina, SHEPARD program manager, in a previous written statement. “The SHEPARD program is maturing a specific propulsion architecture and power class as an exemplar of potential benefits for the Department of Defense.”
According to DARPA, the SHEPARD team includes members from the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Office of Naval Research, and military warfighters.
Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Aeronautics Systems sector in Redondo Beach serves as the prime contractor for the program. Major suppliers include Scaled Composites, LLC, Cornerstone Research Group, Inc., Brayton Energy, LLC, PC Krause and Associates, and EaglePicher Technologies, LLC.
DARPA previously said the XRQ-73 aircraft is designed as a Group 3 unmanned aircraft system weighing approximately 1,250 pounds.
“This milestone is not just about a single flight,” said 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.”
DARPA said the XRQ-73 program is focused on demonstrating the military utility of hybrid-electric propulsion technology through continued testing and evaluation.
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