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Air Force

First Flight of DoD Blended Wing Body Aircraft Demonstrator Targeted for 2026

Frank Wolfe

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

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First Flight of DoD Blended Wing Body Aircraft Demonstrator Targeted for 2026

The NASA and Boeing X-48 blended wing body demonstrator flew 122 times at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California before the program ended in April, 2013 (NASA Photo)

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) hopes to have a blended wing body (BWB) demonstrator aircraft ready to fly by 2026, according to a DIU solicitation. Such an aircraft may save the Pentagon significant fuel costs and could fill niches for the U.S. Air Force for a future cargo aircraft or even the KC-Z tanker, which may incorporate stealth features. Under BWB, the wings are not distinct from the aircraft body but blended into it, and the engine may be on…

Congress

Concerns Raised At SASC Hearing On Unobligated Reconciliation Funds And Lack Of Updates On Iran War Cost

Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) raised concerns at a hearing on Tuesday about the majority of funds in the $153 billion first reconciliation bill being unobligated thus […]

Unmanned Systems

CBO Says Upfront Costs To Protect Military Installations From Drones Between $1 Million And $74 Million

The initial costs to acquire and deploy counter-small unmanned aircraft system (C-sUAS) defenses at individual Defense Department installations are estimated at between $1.2 million and $73.6 million depending on the […]

Congress

House Heads For Recess Without Moving On NDAA After Procedural Vote Fails

The House will leave for the Fourth of July recess without moving forward on its $1.15 trillion fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with a procedural vote to […]

Congress

Bipartisan Group Of House Members Introduce U.S.-Ukrainian Co-Production Bill For Unmanned Systems

A bipartisan group of six House legislators have introduced the Strategic Unmanned Systems Partnership Act–a bill to improve drone collaboration between the U.S. and Ukraine. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the […]