Scaled Composites Model 437 Vanguard

[NMaude]

Yes. it is a 'trad-ish' layout, but proportions remind me of the so-neat sub-scale delta which was built and flown to test planform of what became the RAF's Avro Vulcan...

Are, yes, the Avro 707.

 

[Scott Kenny]

That's all well and good, but the Vietnam War showed how bad it was when the F-4B didn't have a cannon for close combat.

Which was an artifact of the extremely restrictive US Rules of Engagement, requiring Positive Visual ID of a target before engaging.

Today, IRSTs with 20x+ magnification built in are more or less standard equipment on aircraft, so you can visually ID an aircraft at 10+nmi/20km. The only time a gun is still really useful is for Air Policing, as a stream of tracers is a great way to shout "hey, stupid" at a non-responding aircraft.

 

[NMaude]

Which was an artifact of the extremely restrictive US Rules of Engagement, requiring Positive Visual ID of a target before engaging.

You can blame Johnston and McNarama for that bit of idiocy, their idiotic rules about targets the USAF, USN and USMC could and could not strike greatly prolonged the Vietnam war also preventing the US from steam-rolling North Vietnam.

 

[Scott Kenny]

You can blame Johnston and McNarama for that bit of idiocy, their idiotic rules about targets the USAF, USN and USMC could and could not strike greatly prolonged the Vietnam war also preventing the US from steam-rolling North Vietnam.

As it worked out, the US forces didn't have a good IFF system till the 1970s, so requiring visual ID also prevented a lot of fratricide.

 

[Manuducati]

From Scaled Composites Facebook.

"Proteus and the Model 401 had a fantastic flight to Las Vegas for Aviation Nation yesterday and used the opportunity to take some pictures… check out this sneak peek!"

 

[yasotay]

I don't know. It's cool n'all, but I still like ARES better.

 

[Scott Kenny]

No Rutan DNA in the 401 design...

 

[raptor82]

Northrop Grumman Unveils Beacon™ Autonomous Testbed Ecosystem

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – June 18, 2025 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) unveiled Beacon™, its next-generation testbed ecosystem designed to rapidly deliver new autonomous mission capabilities.

news.northropgrumman.com

 

[Stargazer]

No Rutan DNA in the 401 design...

Indeed! No Rutan DNA in anything since the Bipod, which was Rutan's last design while at Scaled.

 

[raptor82]

Scaled Composites swiftly transforms Model 437 to support Beacon™ autonomy initiative - News | Scaled Composites

Scaled Composites is partnering with Northrop Grumman on the recently announced Beacon autonomous testbed ecosystem, which leverages the Model 437 as an airborne test platform. Scaled Composites has extensive experience employing demonstrators to evolve low technology readiness level solutions...

scaled.com

The pilot seat has been removed?

 

[Stargazer]

The pilot seat has been removed?

I believe the Model 437 was conceived as an Optionally Piloted Vehicle, as opposed to the original Model 402 from which it derived.

 

[Josh_TN]

Scaled Composites swiftly transforms Model 437 to support Beacon™ autonomy initiative - News | Scaled Composites

Scaled Composites is partnering with Northrop Grumman on the recently announced Beacon autonomous testbed ecosystem, which leverages the Model 437 as an airborne test platform. Scaled Composites has extensive experience employing demonstrators to evolve low technology readiness level solutions...

scaled.com

The pilot seat has been removed?

And apparently replaced with a mini fridge?

 

[Training_Dummy]

Cold beer storage a new DOD mandate for *all* new aircraft procurement programs.

 

[NMaude]

Cold beer storage a new DOD mandate for *all* new aircraft procurement programs.

No doubt mandated by Pete Hogshead.

 

[aim9xray]

Cold beer storage a new DOD mandate for *all* new aircraft procurement programs.

Unfortunately, the Lockheed Martin CCTDPDS (Common Cold Tap Dispensing and Precision Delivery System) is three years behind schedule and $120m overrun. Program management could not be roused for comment after the latest re-baseline meeting.

 

[NMaude]

Program management could not be roused for comment after the latest re-baseline meeting.

No doubt afterwards they'd release a statement saying they were hammered by the problem.

 

[Josh_TN]

No doubt mandated by Pete Hogshead.

I feel like if he was involved it would have been a Champaign fountain…

 

[apparition13]

As it worked out, the US forces didn't have a good IFF system till the 1970s, so requiring visual ID also prevented a lot of fratricide.

Ground targets.

 

[publiusr]

And apparently replaced with a mini fridge?

It's hard to stop a Trane!
When my circuits get hot, I only trust one name!

 

[aim9xray]

No doubt afterwards they'd release a statement saying they were hammered by the problem.

Well, they are reported to have sent a proposed 12-step recovery program to SecDef Hegseth.

 

[Brett Davidson]

Unfortunately, the Lockheed Martin CCTDPDS (Common Cold Tap Dispensing and Precision Delivery System) is three years behind schedule and $120m overrun. Program management could not be roused for comment after the latest re-baseline meeting.

Variations have done the rounds - beer, whisky, wine.

'A brewer has drowned in one of the vats!'
'Oh no, that's terrible! Did he suffer?'
'No, he seemed quite happy. In fact he climbed out three times to pee!'

 

[quellish]

I believe the Model 437 was conceived as an Optionally Piloted Vehicle, as opposed to the original Model 402 from which it derived.

Check out the tails.

 

[flateric]

View: https://youtu.be/kpyrR0Bu-r0?si=P97w1zOqs503hfx6

 

[fightingirish]

The photographer TF23 Aviation shared on Flickr some pictures of the Scaled Composites Model 437 Vanguard during a taxi test, which is part of the testing process for the Northrop Grumman Beacon™ Autonomous Testbed Ecosystem.
Fotostream at Flickr:

https://flic.kr/ps/3WJdKd

 

[Training_Dummy]

Those vertical tails look different than the rest of the a/c… is that purposeful bc they are configurable, temporary, a WIP or different for the unmanned version?

 

[flateric]

Scaled Composites Model 437 enters Envelope Expansion - News | Scaled Composites

The Scaled Composites Model 437 re-entered flight test today after completion of significant work since first flight of the vehicle in 2024. This test is the start of a series of envelope expansion flights to prove out the flight capabilities of the Model 437 ahead of Northrop Grumman’s Beacon...

scaled.com

 

[raptor82]

Model 437 teaming with Model 401:

https://flic.kr/p/2ruti3i

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/193204189@N08/54799798977/

 

[raptor82]

NG showed this again at ASC2025:

 

[Forest Green]

Scaled Composites’ Model 437 Vanguard Jet Is Now Flying As An AI Testbed​

Scaled Composites' Model 437 Vanguard Jet Is Now Flying As An AI Testbed

The optionally-manned Model 437 Vanguard jet is now set to prove out AI tech for autonomous aircraft under Northrop Grumman's Beacon program. The Model 437 Vanguard, originally developed as a loyal wingman-type drone, is now expected to prove out AI technology for other uncrewed aircraft.

www.twz.com

 

[flateric]

Beacon brings industry into a shared ecosystem to accelerate flight autonomy - Breaking Defense

Six companies have already signed up for a new flight-test program to mature their autonomy software.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Hull down]

Big RQ-180 vibes from the wings when viewed at that angle.

 

[raptor82]

Northrop Grumman’s Talon IQ Flies Shield AI’s Hivemind Software

MOJAVE, Calif. – March 19, 2026 – Northrop Grumman’s Talon IQ™ testbed completed its first partner mission autonomy flight with Shield AI’s Hivemind software, showcasing a ready‑to‑fly platform that accelerates innovation, cuts development costs and eliminates the need to build a dedicated...

news.northropgrumman.com

 

[flateric]

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View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWHSUhIlHdf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading

 

[Grey Havoc]

I wonder how much, if any, use they have made of 'Fuzzy Logic' algorithms and the like?

 

[bobbymike]

343K views · 3.2K reactions | DISCLOSURE.....behind the Skyvan photoship In our popular series "not AI, not CGI, this is simply what we do " A unique join-up from Scaled Composites during Pacific Airshow last year! For more news on American airshow

DISCLOSURE.....behind the Skyvan photoship In our popular series "not AI, not CGI, this is simply what we do " A unique join-up from Scaled Composites during Pacific Airshow last year! For more...

www.facebook.com

 

[jsport]

Northrop Grumman’s Talon IQ testbed hot-swaps AI brains mid-flight - Breaking Defense

“While the aircraft was flying, the software was queued up so that we could have different companies’ behaviors take control of the platform and fly [it]," said Dan Salluce, Northrop’s senior director for aerospace systems.

breakingdefense.com