DARPA Wants to Resurrect the Caspian Sea Monster with New X-Plane - IEEE Spectrum
( May 19, 2022; IEEE Spectrum )
Description: "DARPA wants to combine traditional sealift and airlift with the Liberty Lifter program, which aims to “design, build, and flight test an affordable, innovative, and disruptive seaplane” that enables efficient theater-range transport of large payloads at high speeds."
DARPA is looking for an operational range of 7,500 km, with a maximum payload of at least 90,000 kg, including the ability to launch and recover amphibious vehicles. The hardest thing DARPA is asking for could be that, unlike most other X-planes, the Liberty Lifter should incorporate a “low cost design and construction philosophy” inspired by the mass-produced Liberty ships of World War II.
With US $15 million to be awarded to up to two Liberty Lifter concepts, DARPA is hoping that at least one of those concepts will pass a system-level critical design review in 2025. If everything goes well after that, the first flight of a full-scale prototype vehicle could happen as early as 2027.
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Here's a concept video:
According to the video, the sea-plane will be capable of extended operations at extremely low altitudes - which offers benefits in both range and payload. Because it can take off and land in the water, it will be independent from a need for airfields. The construction will be guided by low cost construction and design methods that are inspired by shipbuilding techniques and can enable a "buy by the ton, not by the pound" mentality.
Read the rest from IEEE Spectrum: DARPA Wants to Resurrect the Caspian Sea Monster with New X-Plane
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The way in which technology advances is surprising , I think that everything is fine , if it is used in favor of all , however , there is no shortage of people who do it against it .