Quarterhorse is the first program on Hermeus’ roadmap to hypersonic flight. The program culminates into two primary objectives:
1. Demonstrate Chimera’s turbine-based combined cycle engine capabilities in-flight
2. Break the nearly 50-year-old airspeed record held by the legendary SR-71
Once in production, this aircraft will be used as a platform for commercial testing and development efforts.
The various iterations of Quarterhorse, each progressively increasing in complexity, distribute the program risk across multiple vehicles and accelerate learnings for Hermeus.
High-Speed Flight Test Aircraft
ITERATIVE DESIGN. rapid testing.
QUARTERHORSE MK 0
Our first fully-integrated vehicle.
This non-flying prototype acted as a ‘dynamic iron bird’ to validate all major aircraft subsystems in a real-world environment.
The development and testing of Quarterhorse Mk 0 epitomize our core tenets of hardware richness and rapid real-world testing.
QUARTERHORSE MK 1
Our first aircraft.
Quarterhorse Mk 1 is an uncrewed, remotely piloted aircraft powered by a GE J85 engine. Its primary mission is to demonstrate high-speed takeoff and landing – a key enabling capability unique to future hypersonic aircraft on the company’s roadmap.
Flight tests will take place at Edwards Air Force Base.
QUARTERHORSE MK 2
The world’s first high-Mach autonomous aircraft.
Mk 2 is about the size of an F-16, features a variable inlet, a delta wing design, and is powered by a Pratt & Whitney F100 engine.
