Jet Zero won the US Air Force $235 million blended wing demonstrator contract. Jet Zero will build a full scale demonstrator by the first quarter of 2027.
For the tanker-specific role, the increase in fuel efficiency would equate to a 94% increase in offload capability at a mission radius of 2,500 nm, or a 97% increase in mission radius with a 50,000-lb. fuel offload. The improved capability would also offer the Air Force the ability to refuel up to seven F-35s—as opposed to one aircraft—at a 4,000-nm radius.
The Pentagon is eyeing the BWB concept as a contender for its requirements for a new military airlifter and an air-to-air refueling platform. It is already considering other options for that usage, such as the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Cargo program, DARPA’s LibertyLifter, and Boeing’s NASA-funded Transonic Truss-braced Wing demonstrator.
According to JetZero CEO Tom O’Leary, JetZero talks with the the majority of major global airline have been universally enthusiastic because they are not paying lip service to sustainability. They are excited by the potential to deliver a 50 percent decrease in consumption of jet-A fuel. JetZero’s BWB can offer a more direct route to decarbonization than waiting for new propulsion technology, making the aircraft the best first step on the path to zero carbon emissions. The two engines mounted above the fuselage and wings will make the aircraft four times quieter than current airliners.
JetZero traces its origins to McDonnell Douglas’s work on BWB concepts during the 1990s. JetZero founder and chief technology officer Mark Page had a company, Dzyne Technologies. Dzyne worked on BWB technology through projects backed by NASA to the tune of more than $1 billion. JetZero owns the intellectual property.
JetZero is now ground-testing a 12.5 percent scale model ahead of an anticipated first flight test later this year.
The selected demonstrator could become a candidate for the Next Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS). The blended-wing technology remains unproven in the air refueling and military transport role, so the demonstrator is not yet formally part of the NGAS program.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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BWB’s are prime candidates for boundary layer suction inlets. Pairing that up with a series hybrid turboelectric arrangement and Whisper Aero’s advanced electric propulsor ducted fans would be a game changer. No superconductors necessary.