Hermeus completes groundbreaking flight of hypersonic aircraft
Hermeus has successfully carried out the first flight of its new hypersonic aircraft, the Quarterhorse, from Edwards Air Force Base in California. This marks a significant step towards achieving speeds close to Mach 5 by 2026.
As reported by Defense News, Hermeus accomplished its maiden flight of the new hypersonic aircraft, the Quarterhorse. The aircraft, designated as Mk 1, is the second version of the Quarterhorse test platform and the first to fly. The test flight, which took place on 21st May 2025, confirmed the effectiveness of Hermeus' technological development approach.
AJ Piplica, CEO of Hermeus, stated that the company’s development strategy has proven successful. He emphasized that this is only the beginning and that significant work remains to address the challenges that lie ahead.
Quarterhorse — a hypersonic aircraft for civilian and military sectors
Hermeus initially planned the Quarterhorse's flight for 2023, but the date was postponed to the summer and eventually realised in May this year. The company highlights that it took just over a year from project initiation to a flight-ready system. The first flight concentrated on verifying the Quarterhorse's ability to take off and land, which is particularly demanding for aircraft travelling at such high speeds.
Data from the first flight will be utilised in constructing the second test aircraft, Mk 2, currently under development at the company's headquarters in Atlanta. The Mk 2 is slated to take to the air later in 2025 and achieve supersonic speeds.
Hermeus aspires to deliver hypersonic aircraft for both defence and commercial clients. The company plans to manufacture one aircraft per year, aiding in addressing challenges related to the operationalisation of hypersonic aircraft. Emphasising so-called hardware abundance, the company aims to build many prototypes swiftly to facilitate risk management.
Quarterhorse — may break the record set by the SR-71 Blackbird
The unmanned Quarterhorse aircraft is equipped with a scramjet engine, a modified version of the General Electric J85 engine. Additionally, the aircraft requires an airframe coating capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures, exceeding even 980 degrees Celsius. It is worth noting that if the project succeeds, the new machine could potentially join the fleet of the President of the United States.
If the objectives are achieved, the Quarterhorse, reaching a declared speed of Mach 5 (approximately 6100 km/h), will surpass the current speed record held by the legendary SR-71 Blackbird (over Mach 3).
