The Air Force Wants a Bat-Winged Tanker Transport
 

The Air Force Wants a Bat-Winged Tanker Transport
By: Kyle Mizokami - Popular Mechanics - 07-09-22
Re: https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...-tanker-plane/

A blended wing body aircraft could refuel military aircraft, but also spill over into the commercial airline sector.

Photo link: https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod...g?resize=640:*

* The Air Force is seeking proposals for a blended wing body aircraft that would serve as a tanker and transport.

* Blended wing body aircraft feature huge fuselages that taper into the wings, creating a huge internal cargo area.

* Blended wing body aircraft have been studied for years but never actually built.

The Air Force, according to Aviation Week & Space Technology, is expected to issue a Request for Information (RFI) from industry for a scale prototype of a blended wing body aircraft, which could make for an aircraft capable of hauling huge cargo or fuel loads with greater range and fuel efficiency than ever before.

The Air Force and Department of Defense will spend $56.9 million on an initial design study, with an emphasis on nailing down expected fuel savings if the design is adopted for tanker and transport use. AvWeek reports a more efficient tanker could not only cut the service’s annual $2 billion fuel bill, but also allow a tanker to support more aircraft over greater distances.
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