Northrop Grumman’s YFQ-48A Talon Blue demonstrator completed its first fully autonomous flight at Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The uncrewed aircraft performed every phase of the flight autonomously, including taxiing, takeoff, in-flight maneuvers and landing.
The flight marks a step forward for the company’s self-funded Project Talon portfolio, which aims to rapidly develop mission-ready autonomous airpower. Talon Blue was designed with modularity and advanced manufacturing in mind to reduce costs and speed production.
The milestone positions the YFQ-48A as a contender in the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which aims to field autonomous jets that fly alongside crewed fighters. The successful test supports Northrop Grumman’s approach to developing unmanned aircraft for the competitive CCA market.