Aerospace startup JetZero will develop a blended wing body aircraft prototype for the Department of the Air Force under a potential four-year, $235 million contract from the Defense Innovation Unit.
The full-scale technology demonstrator is projected to take its maiden voyage in the first quarter of 2027 to validate the BWB design concept and demonstrate capabilities to reduce fuel consumption and cut carbon emissions and noise, the Los Angeles-based company said Wednesday.
JetZero will collaborate with Scaled Composites, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), to build and test the demonstrator and will work with RTX‘s (NYSE: RTX) Pratt & Whitney division to design and integrate the technology’s propulsion system.
Tom O’Leary, CEO of JetZero, said the company intends for its BWB technology to offer 50 percent lower fuel burn and facilitate the transition to zero carbon emissions propulsion in the future.
