Flying cars have been a staple of science fiction movies and television shows for decades and now the Air Force wants to help make them a reality.
Later this month, the Air Force is scheduled to roll out “Agility Prime,” a program to work with industry to develop electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, better known as “flying cars” for military use and eventually the commercial market.
“Now is the perfect time to make Jetsons’ cars real,” said Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.
According to the Air Force, the goal is to develop an initial vehicle with “significant market potential” that has a payload capable of carrying 3 to 8 people; a range of more than 100 miles and is capable of traveling faster than 100 mph for more than an hour.
“The intent of the initiative is to help develop the industrial base through market stimulation in an effort to accelerate commercial and military fielding which creates additional capability for our operators while saving the taxpayer money,” Air Force Col. Nathan Diller, an official with Agility Prime, said in a statement.
The immediate goal is to explore and potentially field what the Air Force is calling “transformative vertical flight aircraft” within three years. The service says it wants to expand on its “fruitful but ad hoc” working arrangement with industry with the Agility Prime initiative.
“The program will host a challenge series this year to select vehicles, certify safety and airworthiness, procure systems for the most promising missions and reach operational capability by” the 2023 federal fiscal year, Mr. Roper said during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.