
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on Monday started soliciting research proposals for high performance leading edges for hypersonic air platforms. DARPA released a presolicitation notice for the Materials Architectures and Characterization for Hypersonics (MACH) program, which “seeks to demonstrate new thermal based design and material solutions for sharp, shape-stable leading edges for hypersonic vehicles.” The agency characterized leading edges as “an essential design feature of hypersonic aircraft” because they would dramatically improve hypersonic vehicle range, velocity, maneuverability, especially…