Bell Textron has emerged as the sole winner of DARPA’s high-speed SPRINT X-Plane initiative, edging out Boeing-owned Aurora Flight Sciences in the competitive selection process.
Under Phase 2 of the Speed and Runway Independent Technologies program, Bell will oversee the end-to-end development of its aircraft demonstrator, including detailed design, fabrication, testing, and certification.
DARPA revealed that the demonstrator is slated for completion by 2027, with flight trials expected to commence in 2028. The project, initiated in partnership with U.S. Special Operations Command in March 2023, envisions an aircraft that combines high-speed jet performance with the versatility of vertical takeoff and landing.
SPRINT aims to produce a platform that can cruise between 400 and 450 knots (740 to 833 km/h or 460 to 517 mph) and operate from austere, unprepared surfaces.
Separately, Bell is also advancing the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft program, intended to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter fleet.
