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  "path": "/2026/05/06/darpa-xrq-73-first-flight/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-06T20:07:29.000Z",
  "site": "https://theaviationist.com",
  "tags": [
    "Drones",
    "DARPA",
    "Edwards Air Force Base",
    "Northrop Grumman",
    "Scaled Composites",
    "SHEPARD",
    "XRQ-73"
  ],
  "textContent": "Designed by Northrop Grumman and subsidiary Scaled Composites, the unmanned XRQ-73 features an ultra-quiet propulsion system powered by electricity from a gas turbine. Taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in April 2026, the XRQ-73’s first flight was hailed by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) as a “step forward in demonstrating the military utility […]",
  "title": "DARPA’s XRQ-73 SHEPARD Hybrid-Electric Flying Wing Prototype Takes Flight"
}