Pentagon hypersonic jet Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 passes payload separation test
Hermeus's uncrewed Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 released an external payload in flight over New Mexico under the Pentagon's HyCAT program, its fifth flight since spring 2026. The test is the aerodynamic gate an aircraft must clear before it can be certified to carry weapons.
The U.S. Defense Innovation Unit confirmed Hermeus's uncrewed Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 completed a stores separation flight test over New Mexico on July 31, 2026, its fifth flight since spring at what DIU says is four times the normal hypersonic test pace. The aircraft, sized like an F-16 and powered by a Pratt & Whitney F100, cleanly released an external payload, the aerodynamic prerequisite for any future weapons certification. Hermeus's Pentagon contract has grown from an initial 23 million dollars to a 219 million dollar ceiling. The test covered only transonic speeds up to about Mach 1.2; no aircraft has ever released a payload at true hypersonic speed. The next milestone targets Mach 3.