Aurora Flight Sciences vs Lockheed for C-130 replacement

Aurora Flight Sciences is taking on Lockheed for the AFRL all composite cargo X-plane competition. The demonstrator is planned to fly within 18 months in the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft program.

ACCA is planned to support the AJACS program under development now (Advanced Joint Combat Air System).

AFRL has awarded Aurora a $47 million contract, and has signed a co-operative agreement with Lockheed for $49 million. Both companies have currently received an initial $2 million for designing their aircraft.

Unmanned air vehicle specialist Aurora Flight Sciences is to compete with Lockheed Martin to build an all-composite cargo X-plane for the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

The demonstrator is planned to fly within 18 months under the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA) programme, to prove structural design and manufacturing technologies that would reduce the cost and weight of a future short take-off and landing transport.

ACCA

Didnt Rutan do that already 15 years ago with his Model 33 Advanced Technology Tactical Transport

I guess they are wanting something more C-130 sized and faster than what Rutans design would have.

[edit on 28-4-2007 by firepilot]

ACCA is supposed to have the payload of a C-130, fly at the altitude of an airliner, be stealthy, and only use 2000 feet of runway to get airborne.