DARPA's X-76 demonstrator enters build phase for runway-independent flight program
NewsMarch 10, 2026
ARLINGTON, Virginia. DARPA’s X-76 experimental aircraft entered the build phase under Bell Textron as part of the SPeed and Runway INdependent Technologies program, the agency announced in a statement.
The X-76 is a proof-of-concept demonstrator intended to test technologies for aircraft that can combine vertical takeoff and landing with cruise speeds above 400 knots, the statement reads. DARPA says the program is aimed at reducing the tradeoff between the speed of fixed-wing aircraft and the flexibility of helicopters.
According to the statement, the aircraft moved into the build phase after completing a Critical Design Review. The current phase will focus on manufacturing, integration, assembly, and ground testing of the demonstrator, DARPA says.
The program is being run jointly by DARPA and U.S. Special Operations Command, with Bell selected for Phase 2 in May 2025, the statement reads. DARPA says the X-76 is meant to support operations from austere locations and unprepared surfaces while retaining vertical-lift capability.
A flight test program is planned for Phase 3 in early 2028, according to the statement.
