Hermeus Darkhorse

Unmanned / Uncrewed Hypersonic Test Vehicle

United States | 2027

"The Hermeus Darkhorse is the natural unmanned hypersonic evolution of the in-development Quarterhorse."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/13/2024 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from official Hermeus Corporation online marketing materials.

The Hermeus "Darkhorse" is an in-development, Mach 5-capable unmanned / uncrewed technology demonstrator from aerospace start-up Hermeus of Atlanta, GA. The project seeks to produce a reusable unmanned hypersonic air vehicle covering a multi-mission mindset for both military and national security purposes. The Darkhorse is the natural company evolution of its "Quarterhorse" unmanned hypersonic technology demonstrator soon to take flight (and detailed elsewhere on this site).

The company also operates an engineering and manufacturing facility in Los Angeles, CA and a government affairs office in Washington, D.C.

At present (2024), the proposed Darkhorse aircraft sees a sleek airframe with smooth contours throughout. The wing members and body element are blended nicely to produce the most aerodynamically-refined flying shape with twin tail fins set over the engine compartments and air intakes positioned ventrally amidships along the fuselage central line. A pair of exhaust ports are identified under each vertical tail plane. Internally, the proposed ramjet propulsion scheme installation is to be the Pratt and Whitney (PW) F100-based "Chimera II" turbine combined cycle engine. The design promises unmatched operating speed and altitude with exceptional agility.

The Darkhorse sets the stage for yet-another unmanned, Mach 5-capable project in the works, the "Halcyon" hypersonic passenger aircraft promising a New York to London route time of just 90 minutes.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Hermeus Darkhorse Unmanned / Uncrewed Hypersonic Test Vehicle.

2 x Chimera II (Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan core) ramjet engine of unknown thrust output.
Propulsion

3,837 mph
6,175 kph | 3,334 kts
Max Speed

2,495 mph
4,015 kph | 2,168 kts
Cruise Speed

111,549 ft
34,000 m | 21 miles
Service Ceiling

3,728 miles
6,000 km | 3,240 nm
Operational Range

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Hermeus Darkhorse Unmanned / Uncrewed Hypersonic Test Vehicle.

0
(UNMANNED)
Crew

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Hermeus Darkhorse family line.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Hermeus Darkhorse. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 0 Units
Contractor(s): Hermeus Corporation - USA

[ United States (planned) ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 5000mph

Lo: 2500mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (3,837mph).

Graph Average of 3,750 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

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Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

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Image from official Hermeus Corporation online marketing materials.

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

X-PLANE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Similar
Developments of similar form-and-function, or related, to the Hermeus Darkhorse Unmanned / Uncrewed Hypersonic Test Vehicle.

Hermeus Quarterhorse

Hermeus Halcyon

Going Further...
The Hermeus Darkhorse Unmanned / Uncrewed Hypersonic Test Vehicle appears in the following collections:

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