page_title: Ryan Firebee
section_title: Ryan Firebee II
hierarchical_section_title: Ryan Firebee / Development / Ryan Firebee II
caption_attribution_description: A U.S. Air Force Ryan BQM-34F Firebee II drone (s/n 70-1432) leaves its launch pad during the air-to-air combat training exercise "William Tell '82" at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida (USA), on 9 October 1982. The drone served as a target for aircraft participating in the exercise.
context_page_description: The Ryan Firebee is a series of target drones developed by the Ryan Aeronautical Company beginning in 1951. It was one of the first jet-propelled drones, and remains one of the most widely used target drones ever built.
context_section_description: Teledyne Ryan also developed a third-generation Model 166 Firebee II with supersonic performance, with the U.S. Navy awarding a development contract to the company in 1965. Initial flight was in 1968. Although its external appearance was substantially different from that of the original Firebee, the Firebee II used the same engine and control systems, and confusingly retained the BQM-34 designation. The Navy version was the BQM-34E, while the Air Force version was the BQM-34F.
  The Air Force BQM-34F was slightly heavier, with an additional parachute for midair recovery by helicopter snatch. The Navy BQM-34E was updated with improved avionics in the mid-1970s, with the upgrade redesignated BQM-34T.
  The Firebee II was a sleek dart of an aircraft with swept tailplane and swept mid-body wings. It was powered by a Teledyne CAE J69-T-6 turbojet with 1,840 lbf (8.2 kN) thrust, with the intake on the belly forward of the wings and the exhaust under the tailfins. Internal fuel capacity was small, but the target could be fitted with a conformal external tank that was dropped before boosting to supersonic speeds. Flight operations were performed much as they are for the Firebee I, with launch from a DC-130. It was also ground launched using RATO for use as a target.
  In all 286 Firebee IIs were built, a tiny quantity compared to the number of Firebee Is manufactured. The Firebee II is now out of service, while the Firebee I continues in operation and has been in service for over 50 years, making it one of the longest-lived aircraft in the U.S. military inventory.
caption: BQM-34F Firebee II RATO launch, Tyndall AFB 1982
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