The Quarterhorse Mk 1 has flown a successful flight test at Edwards AFB. It promises to pave the way for routine hypersonic flight for future warfighters.
The uncrewed aircraft was developed by Hermeus, a venture capital-backed aerospace and defense tech company specializing in high-speed aircraft.
“Mk 1 has redefined the pace of developing and flying new aircraft,” said Hermeus CEO and Co-Founder, AJ Piplica. “I’m incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished. We’ve proven the viability of our iterative development approach. But this is just the start. We have much more to do as the bar rises for the next iteration.”
Operationalizing hypersonic technologies
The Quarterhorse Mk 1 test flight was just the first flight milestone is an extended program to achieve sustained hypersonic flight.
That next iteration, the Mk2, is already well into its manufacturing at the company’s HQ in Atlanta. They also have a hypersonic engine and flight test facility in Jacksonville, FL.
The Mk2 jet is expected to soar by the end of 2025. It’s about the size of an F-16 and powered by a proprietary hypersonic Chimera engine. It will be capable of high-Mach flight, and designed to “de-risk uncrewed supersonic flight”, says Hermeus.
The Mk1 version went from pen and paper to a real flying aircraft in less than a year. Mk1’s job is to validate high-speed takeoff and landing of a large uncrewed aircraft. Data from the test campaign validates design and performance models.
Successful Quarterhorse Mk 1 test flight product of rapid development
“The real-world flight data from Mk 1 provides significant technical value that we’re rolling into our next aircraft,” said Co-Founder and President Skyler Shuford. “Moreover, the team has accomplished this milestone on a challenging timeline while operating within the overall aerospace ecosystem — all to support rebuilding America’s lost capability to quickly develop brand-new, full-scale jets.”
“Industry partnerships continue to have an important role in the development and test of disruptive and innovative capabilities for our warfighters,” commented Major General Scott Cain, Commander of Air Force Test Center. “The promise of routine hypersonic flight is an exciting capability for the joint team.”
