Defence

US Air Force thinking on an airlifter that could carry the US Army's Future Combat System vehicles has become clearer, following the release of a solicitation for the Speed Agile technology demonstration.

Under the 34-month, $12.1 million Air Force Research Laboratory project, one contractor will refine a design concept for a short take-off and landing transport and conduct windtunnel tests to validate low-speed and transonic performance.

Contract award is planned for January 2008, with the demonstration to be completed by 2010. The AFRL has other related STOL airlifter projects under way to demonstrate integrated propulsion, lift and control, advanced composite airframe and efficient cruise above Mach 0.8.

The baseline requirements are for an operating radius of at least 920km (500nm) carrying a nominal 29.5t payload, with a mid-mission hot-and-high landing and take-off distance of less than 610m (2,000ft), with 460m as an objective. The desired cargo-bay loadable width is 4m - the same as the Airbus Military A400M and the US Army's Joint Heavy Lift concept.

The AFRL says it is looking for a multi-mission transport/gunship/tanker aircraft able to use short, improvised airfields and carry heavier FCS vehicles with the speed, stealth and survivability needed to handle threats.