<p>DARPA가 5월 9일 오로라 플라이트 사이언스와 830만 달러 규모로 차세대 수상기 개발 계약을 체결했네요 선정했네요. 페이로드는 100톤 급이고, 현재 운용중인 수상기보다 저공 및 10,000ft 상공에서 더 빠르고 항속거리가 더 긴 기체를 개발하는 것이 목표입니다. GA와 경쟁해 계약을 따냈네요. </p><p> </p><p>2025년까지 예비설계검토를 마치고, 2027년 말~2028년 초에 시제기 비행이 목표입니다. </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/pentagon-selects-aurora-flight-sciences-to-develop-large-new-generation-seaplane" target="_blank" class="ke-link">https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/pentagon-selects-aurora-flight-sciences-to-develop-large-new-generation-seaplane</a></p><p><b>Pentagon selects Aurora Flight Sciences to develop large new generation seaplane</b></p><p><a style="color: #000000;" href="https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/author/miquel-ros" target="_top" class="ke-link"><span>BY</span><span>MIQUEL ROS</span></a></p><p>2024-05-12</p><p>1 MINUTE READ</p><p> </p><div class="figure-img" data-ke-type="image" data-ke-style="alignCenter" data-ke-mobilestyle="widthOrigin"><img src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cafeattach/SO0/6e183b7c265e77a55d1b46a7d936eecf56cfa7fe" class="txc-image" width="800" height="500" data-img-src="https://t1.daumcdn.net/cafeattach/SO0/6e183b7c265e77a55d1b46a7d936eecf56cfa7fe" data-origin-width="800" data-origin-height="500"></div><p>Aurora Flight Sciences</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The US Department of Defense, through the<b> Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA),<a style="color: #000000;" href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/3770767/" target="_blank" class="ke-link"> selected, on May 9, 2024, Aurora Flight Sciences</a> to continue work on the development of a new generation seaplane with the capacity to carry up to 100 tons of payload. </b></p><p><b>Virginia-based Aurora Flight Science will receive $8.3 million</b> under a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract within the framework of the Pentagon’s Liberty Lifter program. </p><p>The Liberty Lifter program aims to develop a seaplane capable of, both,<b> long distance flight at low altitudes and sustaining flight at 10,000ft at speeds superior to those of existing platform</b>s. It must also keep costs low by using low-cost manufacturing techniques and materials currently used in the naval industry. </p><p>In 2023, two contenders submitted their proposals to the Pentagon: General Atomics and Boeing-subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences.  </p><p>The latter is now to continue the development of its concept, which<b> will undergo a Preliminary Design Review in early 2025. The target date for the first flight is late 2027 to early 2028. </b></p><p>Growing geopolitical tensions along the Pacific Ocean rim have prompted a renewed interest by the US military in seaplanes and ground-effect vehicles to support amphibious and seaborne operations.  </p><p>In this regard, <a style="color: #000000;" href="https://www.aerotime.aero/tag/regent" target="_top" class="ke-link">REGENT</a>, a startup based in Rhode Island developing a new family of ground-effect vehicles, has also been collaborating with the US Marine Corps and US government agencies to eval‎uate military uses for its technology. </p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;" data-ke-list-type="disc"><li> </li></ul>
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첫댓글 과연 진짜로 만들긴 할까요???
거의 C-5에 준하는 탑재량을 가진 수송기라 개발 난도도 굉장히 높을 것 같은데, 생존성은 높지 않을 것 같고요. 소요군 발주 사업이 아니라 DARPA 발주 사업이기도 하고.. 시제기 개발 단계까지만 진행할 가능성이 높을 것 같습니다.
광대한 전역에서 파일럿 구조나 원격 도서로의 신속한 물자 수송 등이 목표라면 저런 대형기보다는 중소형 수송기의 수상기형이 더 알맞을 것 같은데 개발 난도가 낮아 축적할 기술이 적어서 그런 걸까요?