Northrop Grumman unveils Project Talon autonomous aircraft

Northrop Grumman has introduced Project Talon, an autonomous aircraft designed to operate alongside crewed fighters. The company announced that Talon was designed and built in less than two years and is scheduled for its first flight within 24 months.

Project Talon expands Northrop Grumman’s autonomous portfolio and is positioned as a collaborative teammate for manned combat missions.

The program leverages the company’s autonomous test ecosystem, Beacon, to accelerate software development and validation in real-world environments.

Beacon has enabled rapid iterations of avionics software, allowing for integration and testing outside controlled laboratory settings, accordin to company.

Northrop Grumman aims to demonstrate how autonomous systems can be fielded on a compressed timeline compared to traditional aircraft development.

The manufacturer reports drawing on more than 500,000 hours of autonomous flight testing accumulated over seven decades. Its experience spans multiple operational domains and includes advanced, battle-tested systems.

The Talon name also identifies the T-38 Talon jet trainer, developed by Northrop in the 1960s and still in service globally.

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