BQM-145 Peregrine

Lore & Background

The BQM-145 Peregrine was developed under a joint U.S. Navy/Marine Corps and Air Force program, with the Navy handling the airframe and the Air Force the payload. Production BQM-145As were intended to have a metal airframe, but the first two prototypes were built with plastic composites and first flew in May 1992. The program collapsed in 1993 due to technical difficulties and funding cutbacks, though six composite-airframe BQM-145As then under construction were later completed, with the first flight of a composite variant occurring in 1997.

The BQM-145A shares broad similarities with the Scarab, having a similar configuration but with twin air intakes on either side of the fuselage just forward of the wing roots. Like the Scarab, it has no landing gear. It is powered by a Teledyne CAE F408-CA-400 turbofan engine producing 4.4 kN thrust and can be air-launched from standard fighter aircraft such as the F-16 or F/A-18.

Northrop Grumman has apparently continued to use BQM-145As for other experiments. Some sources claim they have been evaluated for unmanned strike missions, and paintings have circulated showing a BQM-145A fitted with a high-power microwave (HPM) generator in the nose to disable adversary electronic equipment. It has been confirmed that BQM-145As have been flown in the US on test flights carrying HPM payloads.

Reader's Guide

The BQM-145 Peregrine represents a notable but troubled chapter in U.S. UAV development. Conceived as a medium-range reconnaissance platform to provide real-time intelligence ahead of airstrikes, it was a joint service effort that ultimately collapsed in 1993 due to technical difficulties and funding cutbacks. Despite the program's cancellation, six composite-airframe examples were completed and flown, and the airframes found a second life in experimental roles. Northrop Grumman has used the BQM-145A for further tests, including evaluations for unmanned strike missions. The confirmed flight tests with high-power microwave payloads indicate the platform was adapted for electronic warfare experimentation, potentially as a non-kinetic means to disable adversary electronics. The Peregrine's legacy lies less in its original reconnaissance mission and more in its afterlife as a testbed for advanced payloads, demonstrating how a cancelled program can still contribute to emerging capabilities. Its air-launch capability from fighters like the F-16 and F/A-18 also influenced later UAV concepts.

Did You Know?

• The BQM-145A was designed to precede airstrike packages and relay reconnaissance information in real time.
• BQM-145As have been flown on test flights carrying high-power microwave (HPM) payloads.
• The BQM-145A has no landing gear and is air-launched from F-16 or F/A-18 aircraft.