# Hermeus and Northrop Grumman Integrate Mission Systems

Hermeus and Northrop Grumman are teaming to integrate mission systems into Hermeus high-speed aircraft programs, including the Quarterhorse drone and planned Mission Plane prototype. The described capabilities include sensing, communications, navigation, electronic warfare, and command and control. Hermeus expects the Mission Plane to be ready for flight testing in 2028; Northrop Grumman previously said it expected to begin testing mission-system kit elements during the summer, but the reporting does not confirm whether those trials occurred. The signals disclose no value, solicitation, procurement schedule, or government customer for the integration work.

- The effort highlights potential work in mission-system design, subsystem integration, and test support for high-speed aircraft, but no open procurement is identified.
- Companies considering this market can assess whether their sensing, communications, navigation, electronic warfare, or command-and-control capabilities could complement the announced integration effort.
- The 2028 flight-testing target provides a program milestone, but the signals do not specify a contracting timeline or a route for suppliers to participate.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** November 13, 2026

### Government Entities
- Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

### Vendors
- Northrop Grumman (Mission-systems integrator)
- Hermeus (Aircraft developer)

### Key Quotes
> We expect to begin trials of elements of our mission-system kit in our testing environments in the summer.
> — Kyle Mimken, Program Manager at Northrop Grumman

> We’re building a new class of aircraft that gives the warfighter improved speed, range, and flexibility while integrating into the existing Force.
> — Zach Shore, CEO of Hermeus

### Sources
- [Northrop Grumman Bringing Mission Systems To Future Hermeus High-Mach Aircraft - Defense Daily](https://www.defensedaily.com/northrop-grumman-bringing-mission-systems-to-future-hermeus-high-mach-aircraft/advanced-transformational-technology) - Defense Daily
- [Hermeus recruits Northrop Grumman to Quarterhorse drone program - Breaking Defense](https://breakingdefense.com/2026/11/hermeus-recruits-northrop-grumman-to-quarterhorse-drone-program) - Breaking Defense