The Northrop Grumman Corporation's aerial targets legacy stretches
back to 1935 when the first subscale target drone, a radio-controlled
balsa-and - plywood air vehicle, was demonstrated in the
Unites States for Army observers. This flight gave birth to the
Radioplane Company, which subsequently became the
Ventura division of Northrop Grumman.

 

Since then, Northrop Grumman has become the undisputed
world leader in the design, development, production, modification,
and support of high performance subsonic, subscale aerial targets.
Company products are continually evolving to keep pace with
advances in the performance of modern aircraft and missile threats.

 

Bolstered by incorporation of the latest developments in supportabliltiy, navigation, and control, Northrop Grumman targets still provide both U.S. and international military customers the ultimate test for weapons systems and personnel.

BQM-34 Firebee

The Most Capable and Reliable High Performance Aerial Target System

 

The primary mission of Firebee is to simulate tactical threats by enemy aircraft and missiles for defense readiness training, air-to-air combat training and the development and evaluation of weapons systems. It can fly as fast as Mach 0.97, at levels as low as 10 ft above the sea surface, or at altitudes as high as 60,000 ft. It is capable of performing seven-g turns while maintaining high airspeeds for realistic threat presentations.

 

With its high-thrust engine, advanced microprocessor flight control system, rugged airframe, and wide assortment of mission augmentation systems, the BQM-34 Firebee is the premier high performance aerial target system in use today. It can be readily modified to meet other special tactical UAV mission needs. Such performance, with the ability to survive the hits and near misses of repeated missions and return to fly again, explains why the Firebee has been in constant use by three American military services for more than five decades.

 

Today, the BQM-34 Firebee remains “The User’s Choice,” successfully meeting the most challenging training and test and evaluation mission requirements while continually demonstrating new tactical versatility.

 

 

BQM-74E

Delivering High Performance at Low Cost and Supporting More Than 80% of the U.S. Navy's Target Missions.

 

The BQM-74E is a turbojet-powered aerial target with high performance capabilities. While emulation of enemy anti-ship cruise missiles is the primary mission; others include simulation of aircraft for training naval aviators in air-to-air combat and support of the test and evaluation of new weapon systems. The BQM-74E and its ground support system are highly portable. This attribute enables shipboard operations in support of deployed naval combatants where maximum flexibility and rapid turnaround are required.

 

The BQM-74E can carry a variety of internal and wing tip-mounted payloads in support of mission requirements. Payloads include passive and active radar augmentation, infrared (IR) flares, electronic countermeasures (ECM), seeker simulators, scoring, IFF, and dual wing tip-mounted tow bodies. The Integrated Avionics Unit, with its integral Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), Air Data Computer, and Global Position System (GPS), provides a highly accurate navigation solution. Recently incorporated Low Altitude Control Enhancement (LACE II) software allows the vehicle to perform complex, programmable, 3-dimensional maneuvers and operate down to altitudes of 7 feet.

 

The BQM-74E can be used with multiple command and control systems, including the Integrated Target Control System (ITCS), Multiple Aircraft GPS Integrated Command Control (MAGIC2), Vega, and System for Naval Target Control (SNTC). It can be employed in either a manual mode or a pre-programmed (hands off) mode.

 

Since 1968, the MQM/BQM-74 series of aerial targets has been the workhorse of the Navy’s subsonic aerial target inventory. Due to its exceptional performance and mission reliability, the BQM-74E has provided over 80 percent of all U.S. Navy target presentations.

 

BQM-74F

The Next Generation - Offering New Dimensions in Target Performance and Capability.

 

The BQM-74F is being developed by Northrop Grumman under a U.S. Navy System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract. Building on the proven success of the BQM-74E, the BQM-74F improves the speed, range, maneuverability, and endurance, increases
the payload capability, modernizes the support equipment and retains the utility of a portable, deployable system.

 

A new airframe with swept wings and tails coupled with an upgrade to the thrust of the BQM-74 engine from 240 to 300 pounds pushes the speed to 0.92M at sea level and increases maneuverability to eight-g instantaneous (five-g sustained). Aggressive all-axis weave maneuvers down to 7 feet provide threat representative ingress maneuvers.

 

Waypoint navigation is a standard operating mode for the BQM-74F using the integrated IMU/GPS avionics system. Mission planning capability integrated into the PC based support equipment provides detailed mission plans verified with imbedded 6-DOF simulation capability for pre-flight verification. Six missions of up to 70 waypoints are pre-programmable and selected both pre and post launch. Mission profile may be adjusted via the command and control data link. The weave capability includes pre-programmed fixed circular and flat weave maneuvers and user programmable weaves. PC based field test equipment provides real time simulation of programmable weaves prior to download into the air vehicle avionics, and pre-loaded weave maneuvers may be selected after launch. All these features make the BQM-74F the foremost cruise missile replicator available.

 

Chukar III

Fighter Aircraft and Cruise Missile Emulation for weapon Systems Testing, Evaluation and Training.

 

The Chukar III is a turbojet-powered aerial target with high performance capabilities. Used by multiple customers for realistic aerial defense exercises, the target and its ground support system are highly portable. This enables the Chukar III to be operated from remote land sites or deployed for shipboard operations where maximum flexibility and rapid turnaround are required.

 

The primary mission of the Chukar III aerial target is to emulate enemy tactical cruise missiles or fighter/strike aircraft. It can be fitted with a variety of augmentation devices to enhance its use as a threat simulator for weapons training. Systems employed against the Chukar III include anti-aircraft guns, surface-to-air missiles, and air-to-air missiles employing active or semi-active radar homing, IR seekers, and visual guidance systems. Flying as low as fifteen feet (five meters) and at speeds up to 525 knots, the Chukar III can execute six-g maneuvers, pop-up profiles, and high-g escape, either autonomously or manually.

 

The Chukar III target system includes all of the elements necessary to provide a total training solution. The command and control system enables simultaneous multiple target engagements using waypoint navigation with Global Positioning System (GPS) accuracy. Target payloads include passive and active augmentation, infrared (IR) flares and plumers, chaff, scoring, and dual deployable tow bodies. Tow body payloads include active augmentation, IR flares, and scoring.

 

Fielded in eleven countries around the world, the Chukar III is based on the U.S. Navy’s BQM-74 which has been used for over 80% of the Navy’s target missions since 1978. With a high degree of operational availability and demonstrated reliability, the Chukar III provides a cost effective system solution unrivalled by other products.