14 April 2020

US Air Force plans Agility Prime kickoff event

by Pat Host

The US Air Force (USAF) will begin its Agility Prime electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) procurement effort with a week-long virtual kickoff event starting 27 April.

The core technologies of interest include emerging eVTOL, non-traditional electric, hybrid, and non-electric aircraft for manned, optionally-manned, unmanned, urban air mobility (UAM), and cargo transport missions, according to a request for information (RFI) issued by the USAF. The service is also interested in the technology subsystems and infrastructure required to sustain and maintain these overarching technologies of interest.

This all-electric, piloted, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air taxi being developed by Joby Aviation could be a candidate for the US Air Force’s Agility Prime first area of interest procurement opportunity. (Joby Aviation)

The first Agility Prime area of interest (AOI), Air Race to Certification, will help the USAF assess the transformative vertical flight network and VTOL technologies. It seeks to establish a collaborative strategy with industry and investors that accelerates fielding of the most promising technologies for saving and utility to the Pentagon, as well as potential commercial market success. As these systems mature toward certified commercial operations, the USAF will identify opportunities for early adoption with the potential for procurement and fielding in the next three years.

The objective of this first AOI is to produce a prototype test report, which for the purposes of this AOI is the final document resulting from an aircraft test campaign. A successful prototype test report is one that accurately assesses the vehicle and shows that the vehicle can achieve an airworthiness authorisation and eventual certification as well as demonstrate value through cost and utility data for potential early government adoption.

The US Air Force (USAF) will begin its Agility Prime electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) ...

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