The U.S. Air Force has awarded a contract to JetZero to develop the next phase of a blended-wing body aircraft prototype.
JetZero’s BWB aircraft is designed to reduce fuel consumption, cut emissions and noise, and provide an improved airline passenger experience.
The JetZero Blended Wing is the biggest leap in commercial aircraft architecture since the dawn of the jet age and the first step toward the goal of zero-carbon emissions aviation.
Under the terms of the award from the Defense Department’s Defense Innovation Unit, JetZero will receive $235 million over a four-year period, with the prototype expcted to be ready by the first quarter of 2027.
For the military, projected BWB fuel savings of 30% over traditional aircraft would help mitigate logistics risks and enable critical capabilities such as increased range, loiter time, and offload capabilities,” Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said in a statement.
JetZero said the aircraft will launch in 2030 with 100 percent SAF compatibility, and the internal volume to accommodate zero-carbon emissions hydrogen.
JetZero is collaborating with Northrop Grumman and Scaled Composites to build and test the full-scale demonstrator.
“The BWB is the best first step on the path to zero carbon emissions. It offers 50% lower fuel burn using today’s engines and the airframe efficiency needed to support a transition to zero carbon emissions propulsion in the future,” said JetZero CEO Tom O’Leary, “No other proposed aircraft comes close in terms of efficiency.”
JetZero is leading efforts to expand BWB technology and demonstrate its capabilities for the future of aviation and the climate for both military and commercial markets.
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