Pentagon unveils revolutionary uncrewed hybrid stealth spy plane XRQ-73

America's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have officially unveiled the designs for their latest stealth spy plane, the XRQ-73.

Unlike other aircraft, the Pentagon's latest X-plane will feature a hybrid electric propulsion system. It will also be uncrewed. The XRQ-73's hybrid electrical propulsion system aims to eliminate engine noise over enemy territory - making it even stealthier than today's radar-evading craft.

Its reduced infrared signature means it can remain undetected over enemy territory without America's enemies ever realising it was there. At least that's the theory.

The new plane is part of the Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration 'X-prime' programme, known as SHEPARD.

"The idea behind a DARPA X-prime program is to take emerging technologies and burn down system-level integration risks to quickly mature a new missionized long endurance aircraft design that can be fielded quickly," said Steve Komadina, SHEPARD program manager. "The SHEPARD program is maturing a specific propulsion architecture and power class as an exemplar of potential benefits for the Department of Defense."

If you wondered what its name means - the X stands for experimental plane, R is for reconnaissance, and Q means unmanned. It will be the 73rd official X-plane developed by the U.S. Department of Defense-part of a storied line of craft that began in 1946, with the Bell X-1 supersonic jet plane.

The XRQ-73 aircraft will be a Group 3 UAS weighing approximately 1,250 pounds. Remarkably, DARPA claim the first planes with the design are expected to fly by the end of 2024.