Hermeus has unveiled Ramjet-X, an expendable ramjet-powered vehicle designed to be released from its Quarterhorse uncrewed aircraft at around Mach 3. The concept is intended for high-Mach flight testing and is part of the company’s effort to build a lower-cost test platform for propulsion and thermal-management work.
The vehicle is being positioned as a commercial test asset as well as an internal development tool, with potential applications for payloads, sensors, communications, autonomy software and materials. Hermeus is also building out related work at its facilities in Jacksonville, Florida, and El Segundo, California, where engine testing and high-temperature structures development are under way.
Ramjet-X is described as roughly 22 feet long and 7 feet across, with a planned climb to about 100,000 feet and cruise near Mach 4 for tens of minutes. One Quarterhorse aircraft could eventually carry two vehicles. Integrated vehicle testing is expected in 2027, while first flight is targeted for about a year from now, although the programme has yet to be validated in flight.