The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has advanced development of the X-76 experimental aircraft under its SPeed and Runway INdependent Technologies, or SPRINT, program.
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What Is the SPRINT Program?
DARPA said Monday SPRINT is an initiative designed to address the traditional trade-off between high-speed fixed-wing aircraft that require runways and slower vertical-lift platforms capable of operating from austere locations. The program, conducted in partnership with U.S. Special Operations Command, aims to explore technologies that could combine jet-like cruise performance with vertical takeoff and landing capability.
What Is the Role of the X-76 Demonstrator?
The experimental platform, designated the X-76 Demonstrator, joins the lineage of X-planes used to test new aviation technologies. The X-76 is designed to achieve cruise speeds of more than 400 knots while maintaining hover capability in challenging conditions. Additionally, the aircraft is being engineered to operate from unprepared surfaces, reducing the vulnerability associated with fixed airfield infrastructure.
Bell Textron, which is responsible for demonstrator’s design, construction and testing, completed the critical design review for DARPA’s SPRINT X-Plane Program. The company will now proceed with manufacturing, integration, assembly and ground testing of the aircraft. Phase 2, which began with the downselect of Bell Textron, will be followed by a Phase 3 flight test program scheduled for early 2028.
“With SPRINT, we’re not just building an X-plane; we’re building options. We’re working to deliver the option of surprise, the option of rapid reinforcement, and the option of life-saving speed, anywhere on the globe, without needing any runway,” said Cmdr. Ian Higgins, program manager of DARPA SPRINT.
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