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The world's first privately developed, unmanned supersonic jet has broken Mach 1. Hermeus announced on Tuesday that it has successfully achieved the first supersonic flight of its unmanned Quarterhorse Mk 2.1. While Hermeus developed the jet for military use, this project has serious commercial implications.
From rollout to Mach in under a year
The company's end goal is to unlock sustained ramjet-powered flight for the U.S. within this decade. Speed is the name of the game, both in Mach numbers and development time. The Mk 2.1 was able to fly at supersonic speeds less than three months after its first flight and 364 days after the first flight of Hermeus' maiden jet, the Mk 1. The jet first flew on March 3 and received an Experimental Category (SAC-EC) certification from the FAA on March 12. The supersonic flight was only the Mk 2.1's third test flight as Hermeus is using this latest milestone to focus on its high-speed capabilities. The company plans to continue testing the Mk 2.1 while building its subsequent jet, the Mk 2.2, which it expects to become the world's fastest unmanned aircraft.
"Our customers at the Department of War are paying close attention to how fast this program is moving," said Hermeus CEO and Co-founder AJ Piplica. "This flight demonstrates a pace of execution that is extremely rare in modern aviation. Our country's ability to deliver new asymmetric military capability at scale depends on teams that can solve hard technical challenges quickly. That's exactly what we're proving with each test flight we conduct and each new aircraft we build at Hermeus."
Background
Hermeus' Quarterhorse program follows a development roadmap where multiple aircraft are designed, built and flown in quick succession, with each increasing in speed and performance based on data from the previous. The Mk 2.1 is roughly the size of an F-16 and is significantly faster than its predecessor. The company states that it is one of the largest unmanned aircraft ever built. The Mk 2.1 was flown remotely from Hermeus' ground-based flight deck, which validates its aircraft systems, handling qualities and operational procedures.
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The defense breakthrough with commercial upside
Hermeus will not be alone as it attempts to develop the commercial side of the business. Boom Supersonic, with a huge head start over Hermeus, is developing their own technologies to achieve supersonic flight without producing a loud sonic boom, necessary for commercial viability. Boom reported that its Overture supersonic airliner has 130 orders and pre-orders representing the first five years of production at its Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina.
While supersonic flight is a proven technology that has always relied on the military, the road to commercialization has been a tricky one. The ghost of the Concorde looms large.