The AQM-35 was a
supersonic
Supersonic speed is the speed of an object that exceeds the speed of sound ( Mach 1). For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) at sea level, this speed is approximately . Speeds greater than five times ...
target
drone
Drone most commonly refers to:
* Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg
* Unmanned aerial vehicle
* Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft
* Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone
Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to: ...
produced by the
Northrop Corporation
Northrop Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1939 until its 1994 merger with Grumman to form Northrop Grumman. The company is known for its development of the flying wing design, most successfully the B-2 Sp ...
.
Overview
The AQM-35 program began life in 1953 as the Model RP-61 supersonic target drone. In June 1954 the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
awarded Northrop a contract for development of the project as the Q-4; the first flight-capable XQ-4 was launched in 1956.
The XQ-4 was capable of either ground or air launch, though the former mode was never tested. It was powered by a
Westinghouse XJ81-WE-3
The Rolls-Royce RB.93 Soar, also given the Ministry of Supply designation RSr., was a small, expendable British axial-flow turbojet intended for cruise missile use and built by Rolls-Royce Limited in the 1950s and 1960s. Like all the company's ...
turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, a ...
, allowing it to reach speeds of
Mach 1.55. The drone's course was followed with
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...
, and flight commands were sent by a
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a tr ...
telemetry
Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', "remote", an ...
system. When the mission was completed the XQ-4 would deploy a three-stage
parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, w ...
system along with four large inflatable airbags to cushion the impact with the ground.
The Air Force planned to use the Q-4 as a target for various
surface-to-air and
air-to-air missiles. A secondary
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops ( skirmishe ...
function was planned, with TV or cameras carried. The drone was air-launched by a Lockheed DC-130 Hercules drone controller aircraft, or other carrier aircraft.
In 1963, the Q-4 family of drones were given the designation AQM-35A and AQM-35B. They were never considered entirely successful, with a variety of problems arising during both the development and flight testing phases. It was also considered that the flight performance of the drone was so high that it was not a realistic test for the missiles being developed––ironic since the whole point of the project was to develop a supersonic target. Only 25 of all types were ever built. The last examples of the type were retired during the 1960s.
Variants
;XQ-4:Prototype of the RP-61 supersonic target drone.
;Q-4:Production target drones.
;Q-4A:Developed to use a
Fairchild J83 engine and a modified radar signature for testing the
CIM-10 Bomarc
The Boeing CIM-10 BOMARC (Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center) (IM-99 Weapon System prior to September 1962) was a supersonic ramjet powered long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) used during the Cold War for the air defense of Nort ...
missile. When the engine could not be developed in time the variant was cancelled.
;Q-4B: Fitted with a much more powerful
J85-GE-5 engine and a strengthened airframe. This variant was first flown in 1961.
;AQM-35A:Post 1962 designation of the Q-4 drone.
;AQM-35B:Post 1962 designation of the Q-4B
Specifications (Q-4/AQM-35A)
See also
References
Northrop (Radioplane) Q-4/AQM-35
{{DEFAULTSORT:AQM-35
Q-004
1950s United States special-purpose aircraft
Target drones of the United States
Single-engined jet aircraft
High-wing aircraft