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| Drawing: via Jane's |
| YCQM-121A |
| Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles |
| CQM/CGM-121 |
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AIM-120 AGM-122 |
| Copyright © 2002 Andreas Parsch |
In early 1983, Boeing received a development contract for the YCQM-121A Pave Tiger drone. The Pave Tiger program was begun to develop an expendable mini-drone to supress enemy air-defense systems. 14 YCQM-121A vehicles were built and flight-tested during 1983/84, but the Pave Tiger program was terminated in late 1984.
The YCQM-121A was a small drone powered by a two-stroke piston engine, and was stored and transported in launch containers with 15 individual missile cells. To lauch a drone, the doors of a cell were dropped, a rail with the air vehicle was extended, the wings were unfolded, and the drone was launched with the assist of a solid-propellant rocket booster. The YCQM-121A flew a preprogrammed mission using its microprocessor-based navigation system. It could carry sensors and ECM equipment to detect and harass air-defense units, and could also be equipped with a warhead to destroy a detected threat.
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| Drawing: via Jane's |
| YCQM-121A |
In 1987, the Air Force was directed to evaluate an upgraded version of the YCQM-121A under the Seek Spinner program. The resulting YCGM-121B vehicle was specifically designed to seek and destroy enemy air-defense radars, and was considered as a low-cost alternative to the AGM-136 Tacit Rainbow then in development. The YCGM-121B was flight tested in the 1987/89 time frame, and had the ability to loiter over a designated target area until a radar emitter was detected. The Seek Spinner program was cancelled in 1989, but the AGM-136 Tacit Rainbow was later cancelled, too.
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| Photo: Museum of Aviation |
| YCGM-121B |
In the late 1980s, Boeing marketed their BRAVE (Boeing Robotic Air Vehicle) 200 system, which was based on the Pave Tiger/Seek Spinner drones. However, the BRAVE 200 was apparently not procured by any military customer. Another variant of this drone family was evaluated by the USAF as CEM-138 Pave Cricket.
Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!
Data for YCQM-121A, YCGM-121B:
| YCQM-121A | YCGM-121B | |
| Length | 2.12 m (6 ft 11.4 in) | |
| Wingspan | 2.57 m (8 ft 5 in) | |
| Height | 0.61 m (2 ft) | |
| Weight (w/o booster) | 130 kg (280 lb) | 200 kg (450 lb) |
| Speed | 320 km/h (200 mph); loiter speed 145 km/h (90 mph) | |
| Ceiling | 3000 m (10000 ft) | |
| Range | > 800 km (500 miles) | 480 km (300 miles) |
| Endurance | 8 h | ? |
| Propulsion | Cuyuna 438 cc two-stroke piston engine; 21 kW (28 hp) Booster: solid-propellant rocket | |
| Warhead | High explosive (optional) | 18 kg (40 lb) high explosive |
[1] Kenneth Munson: "World Unmanned Aircraft", Jane's, 1988
[2] YCGM-121B BRAVE 200 "Seek Spinner" at
U.S. Air Force Museum Website
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