Pentagon Spends Big on Vertical Lift X-Plane

The US Defense Department has awarded a multimillion contract to develop DARPA’s new, state-of-the-art vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) plane – that it never intends to use.

The Boeing V-22 Osprey was developed in 1988 to provide the US military with a VTOL aircraft. It flies like a plane, but has the flexible landing advantages of a helicopter.

Still, the Osprey relies on two large open rotors which, while operating on relatively little power, are only 60 percent efficient. The Osprey’s fairly clunky design also gives the aircraft a poor lift-to-drag ratio. Aeronautical engineers point out that a more aerodynamic vehicle would be able to get off the ground with much less energy.

To create a more effective, next-generation VTOL aircraft, the Pentagon is in pursuit of an experimental X-Plane. DARPA has awarded an $89.4 million contract to Aurora Flight Sciences to pursue its ‘LightningStrike’ design.

“Aurora is proud to support DARPA on what we all hope to be a truly historic breakthrough in aviation technology,” said R. John Langford, chairman and CEO of Aurora, in a company statement.

Rather than using two large rotors, the LightningStrike design relies on a series of 24 smaller, ducted fans positioned along the craft’s wings and tail.

The X-Plane is projected to be capable of flying at speeds of 300 knots, and carry approximately 4,000 pounds. Most importantly, the aircraft is designed to increase hover efficiency from 60% to 75%.

Despite the high price tag, the Pentagon does not intend to place the X-Plane into service. The original agency announcement stated that the plane is “not intended to create a preproduction type aircraft for any specific operational effort,” but is instead meant to act as a testbed to research vertical lift technology improvements.

Interpreters of Pentagon announcements offer that the meaning of the phrase “not intended” could be that, if they are indeed in search of a replacement for the nearly 30-year-old Osprey, this initial $89 million investment is only a tiny fraction of the ultimate cost.

Still, Aurora intends to build a working prototype of the X-Plane to test the technology.