American startup Hermeus unveiled the Quarterhorse Mk1, a new prototype of a high-speed unmanned jet, on March 28 at its facility in Atlanta.
According to Hermeus, the Quarterhorse Mk1 is a significant step towards the company’s long-term goal: to manufacture the first reusable supersonic aircraft capable of reaching speeds of five times the speed of sound or more.
Hermeus’ Quarterhorse Mk1 aircraft. (Photo: X/Hermuscorp).
The Quarterhorse Mk1 will be the first aircraft produced by Hermeus to take to the skies. Test flights aimed at assessing high-speed takeoff and landing capabilities are expected to occur at Edwards Air Force Base later this year. The company is collaborating with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to demonstrate high-speed mobility through this aircraft prototype.
The Mk1 is the second version of the Quarterhorse aircraft – a high-speed testing platform that Hermeus is developing with the goal of realizing near-supersonic flight capability and reusability by 2026. The company conducted ground tests with the earlier version, Quarterhorse Mk0, last year.
According to AJ Piplica, founder and CEO of Hermeus, they designed and built the Mk1 in 204 days. Piplica also mentioned that the next version, Quarterhorse Mk2, will also be unveiled. He stated it will feature even faster engines and achieve speeds of Mach 2.5 or more (2.5 times the speed of sound). The Mk2 is expected to be equipped with Pratt & Whitney F100 engines and fly at supersonic speeds by 2025.
Hermeus is also developing two large-scale supersonic aircraft, Darkhorse and Halcyon. Darkhorse is a multifunctional drone designed for defense needs, while Halcyon is a passenger aircraft expected to complete the New York to London route in just 90 minutes.
Piplica also indicated that the successor to the company’s commercially developed engine, Chimera, will be launched sooner than expected. According to Hermeus, Chimera is powering the first Quarterhorse aircraft while the larger successor, Chimera II, will power the Darkhorse.
