According to the "Power" website in the United States on the 9th, the first batch of photos of the Model 437 stealth drone developed by Northrop Grumman have been posted on social media. This advanced aerial combat drone is capable of meeting the "loyal wingman" needs of the US Navy and Air Force. The report mentioned that the main exterior features of the drone are almost identical to the concept map previously released by Northrop Grumman, except for an additional cockpit at the nose. The report stated that the Model 437 drone prototype exposed this time is equipped with a pilot cockpit, which is "very strange for an advanced unmanned aerial combat aircraft". But this approach may give Northrop Grumman a unique advantage in the fierce competition to provide hundreds or even thousands of highly autonomous drones to the US Air Force and Navy. It is reported that these photos were taken at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The aircraft features a semi trapezoidal fuselage, centrally mounted swept wings, a rear air intake close to the rear of the cockpit cover, a unique ridge line surrounding the fuselage, and a V-shaped outward sloping tail. The nose also has a airspeed tube, which is a standard configuration for initial flight testing. Combined with its compact size, it has a very futuristic appearance, almost like a movie prop. According to a previous report by Aviation Weekly, the Model 437 drone can carry 4000 pounds of fuel and fly continuously for 3000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 0.8 Mach. The internal missile compartment of the drone can be used to carry limited payloads of up to 1000 pounds, including two AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles or side view radar imaging sensors. Why does this advanced drone need to be equipped with a cockpit designed for pilots? The "Power" website speculates that it may first be used to accelerate the test flight process of the prototype. At present, the United States has many restrictions on the location and operation methods of drones. By adopting the pilot control mode, relevant restrictions can be overcome, which means that the drone can fly to any place it needs to go for test flight courses or training. It can be unrestricted by typical drone airspace restrictions. It only needs to enter the designated airspace with human pilot to conduct subsequent flight tests, which is a huge advantage. "The report explains that for many flight testing courses, autonomous flight of drones is safer when the pilot can take over and act as a safety backup at any time. For example, the US Air Force converted a retired F-16 fighter jet into an X-62 unmanned aerial vehicle for testing autonomous flight control systems, and this approach has achieved great success. According to the report, it is speculated that if the Model 437 drone exposed this time is a dedicated manned model developed for flight testing, there is a high probability that there is still an unmanned version without a cockpit. The original cockpit position may be replaced by a closed fairing equipped with satellite communication systems, avionics equipment, and additional sensors. With the rapid arrival of highly autonomous unmanned tactical jet aircraft in the future, this may bring unique advantages to Northrop Grumman. In addition, it cannot be ruled out that in the future, Northrop Grumman will launch an optional manned model based on the Model 437 drone. The company is competing for the unmanned wingman program of the US Navy and Air Force, with the Pentagon procuring thousands of related drones. Such a huge production scale can greatly reduce manufacturing costs. A relatively inexpensive, subsonic, lightweight tactical jet fighter with low detectability, excellent endurance, and almost complete compatibility with unmanned aerial vehicles may attract buyers' interest in the export market