Jet Zero awarded $235m by US Air Force

Jet Zero’s blended wing body (BWB) concept is getting a $235m vote of confidence from the US Air Force’s Defense Innovation Unit.

Under the terms of the award, JetZero will receive $235m over a four-year period, resulting in a first flight of a full-scale demonstrator by the first quarter of 2027t.

JetZero’s demonstrator, the first in a family of BWB aircraft, uses current engines and systems. The blended wing body aircraft, a design that has been under study by NASA and others for three decades can be converted to hydrogen propulsion.

Tom O’Leary JetZero CEO said: “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. No other proposed aircraft comes close in terms of efficiency.”

JetZero is collaborating with Northrop Grumman and Scaled Composites to build and test the full-scale demonstrator. Whilst it has selected Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power the demonstrator, with Pratt & Whitney GATORWORKS supporting JetZero with design and integration of the propulsion system within the demonstrator.