Northrop Grumman has unveiled Project Talon, a revolutionary autonomous combat drone engineered for rapid production and reduced costs. Developed with Scaled Composites, the aircraft achieved ‘weight on wheels’ in just 15 months—a remarkable timeline for a jet-powered, low-observable airframe. By emphasizing manufacturability alongside performance, Talon represents Northrop’s strategic pivot to meet the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft affordability requirements. First flight is expected within nine months, positioning Northrop competitively in the evolving unmanned aircraft landscape.