Composite Engineering BQM-167 Skeeter

Lore & Background

The BQM-167 was developed and manufactured by Composite Engineering Inc., now part of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, and is constructed of carbon fiber and epoxy-based materials. Two prototype targets were built and test flown in 2001. The BQM-167A was selected as the next-generation Air Force subscale aerial target in July 2002. A total of six targets were built for use during the flight performance demonstration phase, with its first flight on 8 December 2004. A total of 13 FPD launches were made into March 2006. First acceptance testing was completed in August 2006, then pre-operational testing consisted of 13 test flights using production targets from August 2006 through June 2007. The first BQM-167 air-to-air missile live-fire mission took place on 7 February 2007. Initial Operational Capability was achieved in 2008. Each target cost US$570,000.

The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron operates and maintains the target at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The drone is land-launched using a rocket-assisted takeoff and launched from a rail system, and recovered on land or sea using a parachute system. After assessment and refurbishment, the drone is placed back into service. The USAF has had 37 in inventory. On 19 March 2021, a BQM-167 washed ashore in Boynton Beach, Florida after a weapon systems evaluation.

A variant, the UTAP-22 Mako, was developed from the BQM-167A as a low-cost unmanned combat aerial vehicle. On 23 November 2015, Kratos completed the second flight of its self-funded Unmanned Tactical Aerial Platform (UTAP-22). The test involved collaborative airborne operations with a manned AV-8B Harrier fighter for 94 minutes demonstrating command and control through a tactical data-link, autonomous formation flying with the AV-8B, and transfer of UTAP-22 control between operators in a tactical network and then to an independent control link. The 6.1 m (21 ft)-long turbojet-powered aircraft can travel at 0.91 Mach up to an altitude of 50000 ft with a maximum range of 1400 nmi and an endurance of three hours. It can carry a 159 kg internal payload, a 227 kg external payload, and has a 45 kg-capable weapon hardpoint on each wing. The platform is recoverable on land or at sea using a parachute system. In May 2017, the UTAP-22 received the official name Mako. The aircraft costs between $2-$3 million.

Reader's Guide

The BQM-167 Skeeter represents a key evolution in aerial target drones for the United States Air Force, replacing the earlier Beechcraft MQM-107 Streaker. Its carbon fiber and epoxy construction, rocket-assisted takeoff from a rail system, and parachute recovery on land or sea allowed repeated use after refurbishment. The drone's role in live-fire air-to-air missile missions, first conducted in February 2007, underscores its importance in weapons system evaluation. The variant UTAP-22 Mako, developed by Kratos as a self-funded project, extended the platform's utility into low-cost unmanned combat aerial vehicles, demonstrating collaborative operations with manned aircraft such as the AV-8B Harrier. The Mako's ability to carry internal and external payloads, including weapon hardpoints, and its endurance of three hours at Mach 0.91, highlight its transition from a pure target drone to a tactical unmanned platform. The BQM-167's operational history, including its use by the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, and its inventory of 37 units with the USAF, reflect its continued relevance in aerial training and evaluation.

Did You Know?

• The BQM-167 replaced the Beechcraft MQM-107 Streaker as the U.S. Air Force's next-generation subscale aerial target.
• The UTAP-22 Mako variant can carry a 45 kg-capable weapon hardpoint on each wing.