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Related: About this forumLockheed Martin's 'Flying Humvee' Concept Gets a Lift from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Lockheed's 'Flying Humvee' Design for DARPA's Transformer Program
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-08/lockheed-martins-flying-humvee-concept-gets-lift-f-35-joint-strike-fighter
Lockheed Martin's 'Flying Humvee' Concept Gets a Lift from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
By Clay Dillow Posted 08.10.2012 at 9:40 am
When DARPA launched its Transformer (TX) program back in early 2010, PopSci responded as most media did by applauding the ambition while simultaneously harboring serious skepticism. In essence the DoD was asking for a flying car, a 1- to 4-person transportation vehicle that can drive and fly, capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), for troops looking to avoid rough terrain and IEDs. The very idea simply feels impossible--at least until you have a sober conversation with the guy building it.
~snip~
Its a good time to conduct a little PR. Both Lockheeds and AAIs projects recently passed a preliminary design review by DARPA, one that included computer modeling of the designs. Both designs passed muster. From an engineering perspective (albeit a theoretical engineering perspective), the modeling didnt reveal any show-stopping flaws in either concept. For Renshaw and Lockheed, that means that for now they are on the right track.
~snip~
Of course, the F-35 is over budget, behind schedule, and riddled with challenging design problems--and its an actual airplane, something Lockheed has designed and built countless times before (to be fair, its an extremely complicated aircraft to build). The Transformer program expires in 2015, and thats when DARPA wants to have a working prototype of its flying humvee (the agency will choose which of the two designs will move forward into the prototyping phase at the end of this year after a further design review). And while both designs have their merits and demerits--Lockheeds would maintain a controlled hover while AAIs would not; AAIs likely has more design leeway in terms of weight (and potential up-armoring) while Lockheed has a lot of weight sitting on top of the vehicle--neither is going to be easy, or cheap, to build.
~snip~
The designs are marching forward and DARPA might just have its flying car in as few as three years. The question is: will anyone be able to afford it?
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Lockheed Martin's 'Flying Humvee' Concept Gets a Lift from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (Original Post)
unhappycamper
Aug 2012
OP
toddwv
(2,830 posts)1. Just what we need...
a bunch of rednecks flying around in their "Sky Hummers"...
Bonhomme Richard
(9,000 posts)2. Don't we already have that and isn't it called........
a helicopter?
catnhatnh
(8,976 posts)3. Stupidest idea...
...since the armor-plated zeppelin...
WooWooWoo
(454 posts)4. Wow
I'd hate to have to PMCS that thing before every mission.