US military seeks new vertical-takeoff planes

For a long time, the U.S. military has wanted a robust transport aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter, but fly faster, like an airplane. One such aircraft, Boeing’s MV-22 Osprey, has been in use since 2007, but critics say its development was costly and it is not fast enough. So the […]

For a long time, the U.S. military has wanted a robust transport aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter, but fly faster, like an airplane. One such aircraft, Boeing’s MV-22 Osprey, has been in use since 2007, but critics say its development was costly and it is not fast enough.
So the Pentagon is looking for a new generation of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) planes. The Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA) issued a competition challenge for aircraft of innovative design built with lighter and cheaper materials.
One of them, from Aurora Flight Sciences, comes with three generators and 24 electric engines. Aurora engineer Dan Cottrell said gas-powered generators will provide electricity for electric turbofans.