Bell X-plane progresses under DARPA development program
NewsMay 31, 2024
FORT WORTH, Texas. Bell Textron Inc. has moved into Phase 1B of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) X-Plane program, the company announced in a statement.
This phase will focus on the preliminary design of an experimental aircraft aimed at combining high speed with runway independence to advance air mobility platforms. In the earlier Phase 1A, Bell completed a conceptual design review and is now transitioning to more detailed preliminary design efforts, with the goal to demonstrate new technologies and concepts that could transform future vertical and on-demand mobility, the statement reads.
Bell recently conducted a high-speed vertical takeoff and landing (HSVTOL) during a risk reduction test at Holloman Air Force Base. The test featured advanced folding rotor, integrated propulsion, and flight control technologies, indicating progress in the development of the SPRINT X-plane, the statement reads.
