Air Force invests $235M in sustainable aircraft startup JetZero

Long Beach, Calif.-based startup JetZero has been awarded $235 million by the U.S. Air Force to develop a sustainable aircraft that will reduce fuel consumption and cut emissions . The company will develop “a full-scale demonstrator to validate blended wing body (BWB) performance,” according to a release from JetZero. BWB designs combine high-lift wings and a wide body for maximum lift and minimal drag, according to a fact sheet released by NASA . [caption id="attachment_57137845" align="alignleft" width="314"] (Photo/JetZero)[/caption] Under the Department of Defense ’s Defense Innovation Unit, the funding will be allocated over a four-year period, with the first flight set for the first quarter of 2027, the release stated. “The purpose is to demonstrate and validate the performance capabilities and benefits of this new type of aircraft for the Air Force, which sees multiple potential applications — cargo, transport, refueling, for example — for BWB aircraft,” JetZero spokesperson Jeff Miller told Air Cargo Next . Cutting fuel consumption Based at the Long Beach Airport (LGB) near Los Angeles, JetZero will demonstrate how BWB aircraft are designed to cut fuel burn by 50% compared to other designs. “BWB configuration substantially reduces drag and weight versus comparably sized tube-and-wing designs,” Miller said. “A BWB is virtually all lift, whereas a tube-and-wing aircraft’s fuselage, empennage [and] engine nacelles, are strictly drag-producing. Therefore, the BWB can be powered by smaller engines burning less fuel. “For example, the JetZero BWB demonstrator will have passenger capacity of [a] twin-aisle Boeing 767 but fly with single-aisle aircraft engines … with about half the thrust , hence half the fuel consumption.” The aircraft is also designed for hydrogen propulsion , which emits zero carbon, according to the release. While the company is focused on passenger operations, it will also pursue cargo, Miller said. JetZero declined to say with which carriers it has discussed the design; however, Miller said both cargo and passenger operators are showing interest. “It’s all about the aerodynamics with advanced composite construction techniques,” Miller said. “Over the last several decades, improvements in fuel efficiency have come largely from engine gains, but these efficiency improvements are becoming harder to eke out. Therefore, improving aircraft aerodynamics offers new opportunities for efficiency leap .” Design benefits NASA has been studying the benefits of BWB aircraft for three decades, according to the release. JetZero was founded in 2021 with a goal of bringing BWB designs into the commercial and military spaces and emphasis on sustainability and increasing air travel, the release stated. Another company exploring the BWB design is San Diego-based drone company Natilus , which agreed to a deal with Sedr o -Wo olley , Wash .-based engineering and manufacturing company Janicki Industries for a BWB autonomous drone prototype. “ As of February, the company had signed more than $6B in commitments for its autonomous freighters from customers such as Aurora International , Volatus and Flexport ,” Cargo Facts , Air Cargo Next’s sister publication, reported in May. “The first 3.8T aircraft, which will be equipped with the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67 engine , is expected to take flight in 2024, with first deliveries to Volatus expected in 2025 .” Join Air Cargo Next for its second annual Air Cargo Tech Summit on Sept. 18-19 in Brussels, sponsored by Unisys and Brussels Airport and featuring a fireside chat with Brian Hodges, managing director, American Airlines Cargo. For more details and to register, click here .

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