The BQM-177 is used by the US Navy to evaluate ship missile and air defense systems such as Aegis, SM-2 or SM-6.[4]
The USNS Alan Shepard launches a BQM-177A during an SM-2 exercise conducted in 2022 in the Philippine Sea.
Operational history
The first BQM-177A was delivered to the US Navy in June 2018 as part of a low-rate initial production phase 1 contract, with early testing starting in July.[3] The drone reached initial operational capability in February 2019.[1] Full operational capability was achieved in 2022.[4]
A contract awarded to Kratos in 2019 for low-rate initial production of 34 BQM-177A for a cost of $25.4 million,[5] which was followed by subsequent contracts in 2020 of full rate production of 35 and 48 drone for $29.2 million and $38.7 million respectively.[6] In 2021, a contract to provide 65 BQM-177A for $50.9 million included an allocation of seven drones for the government of Japan and eight for the government of Saudi Arabia.[7] This was followed by a fourth full rate production contract for 55 vehicles for $49.5 million in 2023, again for the US Navy.[8]
