Teledyne Ryan Scarab
Ryan Aeronautical · United States · first flew 1988 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Teledyne Ryan Scarab was an American supersonic unmanned target drone and cruise missile demonstrator, designed to simulate fast anti-ship missiles for naval weapons system testing.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.12 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- American supersonic anti-ship cruise missile / target drone
- Delta-wing configuration with no tail surfaces
- Very high speed — approximately Mach 0.9+ in operational use
A small delta-wing unmanned vehicle with no tail surfaces, a single turbojet, and very compact dimensions reflecting its role as a high-speed expendable target.
Specifications
- The Teledyne Ryan Scarab has a length of 6.12 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 3.35 m (11 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 970 km/h (603 mph).
- Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by Ryan Aeronautical (later part of Teledyne) in the 1980s, the Scarab was intended to provide a realistic high-speed threat simulation for surface ship and aircraft defensive systems evaluation. It served as a testbed for high-speed unmanned flight.
Variants
The Scarab was developed in several configurations to simulate different threat profiles; related target systems were produced for Navy use.
Where you'll see it
Operated by US Navy and defence contractors for weapons system evaluation and target drone duties.
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