The BQM-74F was 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 seven 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.
Work on this contract began in March 2002, with
the first F model unveiled Aug. 22, 2005. The BQM-74F can fly
70 percent farther than the E model. It is also 15 percent faster
and offers a 75 percent increase in endurance.
First flight was completed Aug. 29, 2005, at the
Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division sea range at Point
Mugu, Calif. Once the target was launched, it flew nearly an
hour, meeting all of the test objectives, and was successfully
recovered for reuse.
BQM-74F Technical Specifications
Length 15 ft (4.5 m)
Wingspan 7 ft (2.1 m)
Range 500 nm (926 km)
Altitude Low 7 ft (2.1 m)
Altitude High 40,000 ft (12.2 km)
Speed
600 Knots at Sea Level
Weight 260 Ibs (281 kg)
Endurance 120 Minutes
Navigation GPS/IMU
Fuel Jet Fuel (JP-5, JP-8 or Jet A-I)
Payloads Passive or Active Radar Augmentation
Seeker Simulators
Infrared Augmentation
Tow System
Scoring Systems
lFF
Electronic Countermeasures
