2023-11-16 14:11:54
Darpa is putting four aircraft manufacturers in competition to create an X-Plane VTOL capable of cruising at high speed. The first concepts have just been revealed.
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The American army’s research and development agency, Darpa, wants to develop an X-Plane capable of both cruising at high speeds and landing and taking off vertically. This project is named after Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (Sprint). Four companies will be put into competition to offer prototypes of X-Plane demonstrators equipped with this VTOL capability. In terms of specifications, the aircraft must be able to reach a top speed of at least 740 km/h for altitudes between 4,500 and 9,000 meters. It must be able to carry a payload of at least 454 kilos. In terms of autonomy, Darpa requires a range of 370 kilometers and a flight duration of at least 90 minutes.
Concepts already revealed
The device will also need to be versatile to meet a wide range of missions. The plane must also be able to land and take off on surfaces not intended for this purpose, such as fields, parking lots or roads. The successful applicants are Aurora, Bell Textron, Northrop Grumman Aeronautic Systems and Piasecki Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft manufacturer that wins the call for tenders should fly its prototype from 2027, so that it will be operational from 2028.
For the moment, AuroraAurora has already revealed its X-Plane concept. It is a mixed wing with rotors placed under the cabin for the takeoff and landing phases. Once in cruise, they are covered by cowlings to increase lift. Bell Textron uses the proven principle of the V-22 Osprey, with a jet engine in the cruise phase. The rotors are then folded to reduce drag. The other two aircraft manufacturers have not yet revealed their concepts.
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