Aug 29,2024 _ News

Model 437 Vanguard conducts first flight: the newest Scaled Composites Experimental Aircraft

In partnership with Northrop Grumman, Scaled Composites is proud to announce the first flight of their most recent vehicle, the Model 437 Vanguard.

The Model 437 began as a conceptual design, based on the Model 401, exploring a multi-mission low-cost attritable aircraft. The Model 437 Vanguard is a crewed variant of the original concept powered by a single Pratt & Whitney 535 engine with approximately 3,400 pounds of thrust. The aircraft has a wingspan of 41 feet and is 41 feet long with a gross takeoff weight of 10,000 pounds. After completion of envelope expansion, the M437 Vanguard will have a range of approximately 3000 nautical miles and an endurance of 6 hours. The aircraft can carry up to 2,000 pounds of payload in multiple locations including an internal weapons bay sized to accommodate two AIM-120s.

Scaled Composites leveraged extensive experience in rapid design, fabrication, and test of experimental aircraft to develop the Model 437 Vanguard. This included a clean sheet aircraft design, aerodynamic and structural analysis, fuselage and empennage fabrication, aircraft assembly, systems integration, and ground and flight test execution. Northrop Grumman defined, developed, built and verified the removable wing assemblies using advanced digital tools and processes as part of their Digital Pathfinder effort.

Brian Maisler, Test Pilot, said: “Today’s first flight was in a good jet with a great team: this is the best part of my job. Thanks to everyone and their two years of hard work culminating in making this an uneventful and fun day.”

 

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About Scaled

Scaled Composites is a specialty aerospace and composites development company continually working to push boundaries, prove out ideas, and influence the future. Founded by Burt Rutan in 1982 and located in Mojave, CA, Scaled has averaged one first flight of a unique, new airplane per year. Scaled designs, builds, and tests proof-of-concept, prototype, and milestone achieving vehicles including the Proteus, SpaceShipOne, Model 401, and Stratolaunch.

Our employees come from a diverse background of talents, experience, and interests. This unique combination of individuals helps promote an innovative and creative atmosphere. Scaled offers the opportunity to pursue career and personal interests in a manner that can be found nowhere else by following one simple rule: have fun.

Scaled Composites is a wholly owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corporation.

 

This release can be downloaded here.

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