Northrop AQM-35

Q-4 / AQM-35

XQ-4
Role	Target drone
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Northrop Corporation
First flight	January 1956
Retired	mid 1960s
Primary user	United States Air Force
Number built	25

The AQM-35 was a supersonic target drone produced by Northrop.

Overview

The AQM-35 program began life in 1953 as the Model RP-61 supersonic target drone. In June 1954 the United States Air Force awarded Northrop a contract for development of the project as the Q-4; the first flight-capable XQ-4 was launched in 1956.

The XQ-4 was capable of either ground or air launch, though the former mode was never tested. It was powered by an XJ81-WE-3 turbojet, allowing it to reach speeds of Mach 1.55. The drone's course was followed with radar, and flight commands were sent by a radio telemetry system. When the mission was completed the XQ-4 would deploy a three-stage parachute system along with four large inflatable airbags to cushion the impact with the ground.

The Air Force planned to use the Q-4 as a target for various surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. A secondary reconnaissance function was planned, with TV or cameras carried. The drone was air-launched by a Lockheed DC-130 Hercules drone controller aircraft, or other carrier aircraft.

In 1963, the Q-4 family of drones were given the designation AQM-35A and AQM-35B. They were never considered entirely successful, with a variety of problems arising during both the development and flight testing phases. It was also considered that the flight performance of the drone was so high that it was not a realistic test for the missiles being developed - ironic since the whole point of the project was to develop a supersonic target. Only 25 of all types were ever built. The last examples of the type were retired during the 1960s.

Variants

XQ-4: Prototype of the RP-61 supersonic target drone.
Q-4: Production target drones.
Q-4A: Developed to use a Fairchild J83 engine and a modified radar signature for testing the CIM-10 Bomarc missile. When the engine could not be developed in time the variant was cancelled.
Q-4B: Fitted with a much more powerful J85-GE-5 engine and a strengthened airframe. This variant was first flown in 1961.
AQM-35A: Post 1962 designation of the Q-4 drone.
AQM-35B: Post 1962 designation of the Q-4B

Specifications (Q-4/AQM-35A)

General characteristics

Length: 33 ft 0 in (10.06 m)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 35.333 ft (10.77 m)

Wingspan: 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 12.666 ft (3.86 m)

Diameter: 1 ft 8 in (0.51 m)
Height: 5 ft 7 in (1.69 m)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 6.167 ft (1.88 m)

Empty weight: 1,980 lb (898 kg)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 3,400 lb (1,542 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Westinghouse XJ81-WE-3 Lightweight expendable turbojet, 1,810 lbf (8.1 kN) thrust

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 1x General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojet, 3,850 lbf (17 kN) thrust

Performance

Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 70,000 ft (21,336 m)

Maximum speed: M1.55

Q-4B/AQM-35B: M2.0

References

Northrop (Radioplane) Q-4/AQM-35

1962 United States Tri-Service missile and drone designation system

1–50	MGM-1 RIM-2 MIM-3 AIM-4 MGM-5 RGM-6 AIM-7/RIM-7 RIM-8 AIM-9 CIM-10 PGM-11 AGM-12 CGM-13/MGM-13 MIM-14 RGM-15 CGM-16 PGM-17 MGM-18 PGM-19 ADM-20 MGM-21 AGM-22 MIM-23 RIM-24 HGM-25A/LGM-25C AIM-26 UGM-27 AGM-28 MGM-29 LGM-30 MGM-31 MGM-32 MQM-33 AQM-34 AQM-35 MQM-36 AQM-37 AQM-38 MQM-39 MQM-40 AQM-41 MQM-42 FIM-43 UUM-44 AGM-45 MIM-46 AIM-47 AGM-48 LIM-49 RIM-50

51–100	MGM-51 MGM-52 AGM-53 AIM-54 RIM-55 PQM-56 MQM-57 MQM-58 RGM-59 AQM-60 MQM-61 AGM-62 AGM-63 AGM-64 AGM-65 RIM-66 RIM-67 AIM-68 AGM-69 LEM-70 BGM-71 MIM-72 UGM-73 BQM-74 BGM-75 AGM-76 FGM-77 AGM-78 AGM-79 AGM-80 AQM-81 AIM-82 AGM-83 AGM-84/RGM-84/UGM-84 AGM-84E AGM-84E/H/K RIM-85 AGM-86 AGM-87 AGM-88 UGM-89 BQM-90 AQM-91 FIM-92/AIM-92 XQM-93 YQM-94 AIM-95 UGM-96 AIM-97 YQM-98 LIM-99 LIM-100

101–150	RIM-101 PQM-102 AQM-103 MIM-104 MQM-105 BQM-106 MQM-107 BQM-108 BGM-109/AGM-109/RGM-109/UGM-109 BGM-110 BQM-111 AGM-112 RIM-113 AGM-114 MIM-115 RIM-116 FQM-117 LGM-118 AGM-119 AIM-120 CQM-121/CGM-121 AGM-122 AGM-123 AGM-124 RUM-125/UUM-125 BQM-126 AQM-127 AQM-128 AGM-129 AGM-130 AGM-131 AIM-132 UGM-133 MGM-134 ASM-135 AGM-136 AGM-137 CEM-138 RUM-139 MGM-140 ADM-141 AGM-142 MQM-143 ADM-144 BQM-145 MIM-146 BQM-147 FGM-148 PQM-149 PQM-150

151–	FQM-151 AIM-152 AGM-153 AGM-154 BQM-155 RIM-156 MGM-157 AGM-158A/B/AGM-158C AGM-159 ADM-160 RIM-161 RIM-162 GQM-163 MGM-164 RGM-165 MGM-166 BQM-167 MGM-168 AGM-169 MQM-170 MQM-171 FGM-172 GQM-173 RIM-174 MQM-175 AGM-176 BQM-177 MQM-178

Undesignated	ASALM Brazo Have Dash MA-31 NLOS Pershing II Senior Prom Sprint Wagtail

See also: United States tri-service rocket designations post-1962

USAF drone aircraft designations 1948–1962

Q-1 Q-2 Q-3 Q-4 Q-5 Q-6 Q-7 Q-8 Q-8 Q-9 Q-10 Q-11 Q-12 Q-13¹ Q-14

¹ Not assigned

Northrop aircraft

Manufacturer
designations

'Greek' series	Alpha Beta Gamma Delta

'N' series	Note: Northrop company designations include a wide variety of technologies. Only aircraft, aero engines, and missiles are linked here. N-1 N-2 N-3 N-4 N-5 N-6 N-7 N-8 N-9 N-10 N-12 N-14 N-15 N-16 N-18 N-19 N-20 N-21 N-23 N-24 N-25 N-26 N-29 N-31 N-32 N-34 N-35 N-36 N-37 N-38 N-39 N-40 N-41 N-46 N-47 N-48 N-49 N-50 N-51 N-52 N-54 N-55 N-59 N-60 N-63 N-65 N-67 N-68 N-69 N-71 N-72 N-73 N-74 N-77 N-81 N-82 N-94 N-96 N-102 N-103 N-105 N-110 N-111 N-112 N-117 N-124 N-132 N-133 N-134 N-135 N-138 N-141 N-144 N-149 N-150 N-151 N-155 N-156 N-205 N-267 N-285 N-300

'P' series	P530 P600 P610

By role

Attack	YA-13 XA-16 A-17 Nomad YA-9

Bombers	YB-35 YB-49 B-62 BT B2T B-2

Drones	Q-4

Fighters	3A XP-56 P-61 XP-79 F-89 XFT F2T F-5/CF-5/CF-116 YF-17 F-18L F-20 YF-23

Reconnaissance	F-15 RF-61 RF-5

Trainers	T-38

Transports	Alpha Beta Gamma Delta C-19 C-100 YC-125 RT

Experimental	N-1M N-9M JB-1 MX-324 MX-334 M2-F2 M2-F3 HL-10 Tacit Blue X-4 X-21

Names

Northrop AQM-35

Overview

Variants

Specifications (Q-4/AQM-35A)

See also

References