Northrop Grumman has flown its YFQ-48A Talon Blue for the first time in fully autonomous mode, completing taxi, takeoff, in-flight manoeuvres and landing in Mojave, California. The company-funded demonstrator flew on 3 October as part of Project Talon, Northrop’s internally backed effort to develop mission-ready autonomous airpower.
The flight gives Northrop a visible entry in the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft race, where autonomous wingman aircraft are being assessed for future operational use. The service assigned the YFQ-48A designation last December, indicating interest in the platform as a potential contender, although no government contract award or production decision has followed.
Northrop has released few technical details beyond the sortie profile, and did not disclose the flight duration, altitude or speed. The company previously completed autonomous taxi testing in May, but the latest test extends the programme from ground operations into a full airborne mission sequence. That places the Talon Blue alongside a small group of combat-drone demonstrators now moving beyond taxi trials and into flight-test activity.