The BQM-90 was a target drone proposed by the United States of America.

Overview

The BQM-90 project was begun in 1970 as the ZBQM-90A; the intent was to create a supersonic high-altitude target drone for use in testing air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. It was to be launched from the ground or the air, using a turbojet powerplant, and would be controlled by either ground-baser or airborne control stations. The requirements for flight performance were increased during development - eventually the BQM-90 was to be able to simulate a sea skimming anti-ship missile at Mach

Mach number

Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...

 1.3 or a high altitude missile travelling at Mach 3 at 24,400 metres (80,000 feet). At the end of a flight the drone was to deploy a parachute

Parachute

A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...

, allowing it to be recovered and re-used.

ZBQM-90A program was cancelled in 1973 due to a lack of funding.