Northrop Grumman RQ-180

Northrop Grumman · United States · first flew 2013 · reconnaissance aircraft

The Northrop Grumman RQ-180 is a classified US Air Force high-altitude long-endurance stealth unmanned aircraft believed to have entered service around 2015. It is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in contested airspace.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	2 × turbofan, embedded-mounted
F — Fuselage	40 m fuselage
T — Tail	No tailplane

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Spot it by:

Unmanned stealthy flying-wing HALE ISR aircraft
Cranked-arrow or blended flying-wing planform
Classified USAF deep-penetration surveillance UAV

A large stealthy flying wing with no vertical tail surfaces, an embedded twin-engine installation, and a span estimated at around 40–50 m — significantly larger than the B-2 in span-to-body ratio.

Specifications

The Northrop Grumman RQ-180 has a length of 40 m (131 ft).
It has a wingspan of 50 m (164 ft).
Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Development of the RQ-180 was confirmed indirectly through budget documents and contractor statements, with its first flight reportedly occurring around 2013 at classified test facilities. The aircraft is understood to be a successor in capability to the RQ-170 Sentinel, optimised for low-observable penetrating ISR missions.

Variants

No publicly acknowledged variants; operational configuration remains classified.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the USAF in classified ISR roles; occasional sightings over Guam and elsewhere have been reported by aviation observers.

Related aircraft

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