JetZero receives $235 million from the US Air Force to develop fuel-efficient blended-wing aircraft

The effort is being funded under the US DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) with work to occur over a four-year period, culminating in the first flight of the full-scale demonstrator by the first quarter of 2027. 

The DIU was founded in 2015 to help the US military make faster use of emerging commercial technologies.

The company is collaborating with Northrop Grumman and Scaled Composites, who bring extensive experience in advanced aircraft design, manufacturing and mission systems integration to build and test the full-scale demonstrator.

Jet Zero has selected Pratt & Whitney GT engines to power the demonstrator, with Pratt & Whitney GATORWORKS supporting JetZero with design and integration of the propulsion system within the demonstrator.

According to the company, as a military or commercial platform an operational aircraft could provide a 50% reduction in fuel burn and emissions with the current concept carrying 200 passenger or personnel.

The blended wing body aircraft, a design that has been under study by NASA and others for three decades, lends itself to conversion in the future to hydrogen propulsion, which would produce zero carbon emissions.