Northrop Grumman Unveils Autonomous ‘Loyal Wingman’ Aircraft

Northrop Grumman’s Scaled Composites has unveiled a low-cost model of an optionally-crewed aircraft designed to fly alongside manned aircraft in a “loyal wingman” role.

Evolving from the aerospace firm’s experimental Model 401 aircraft, the Model 437 technology demonstrator has a reported range of 3,000 miles (4,828 km) and a cruising speed of Mach 0.8. Its payload bay can carry 1,000 pounds (454 kg) of cargo.