US Air Force awards contracts for supersonic executive transport aircraft work

The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded small business contracts to Exosonic, Hermeus, and Boom Supersonic for work on a potential supersonic executive transport aircraft.

Boom Supersonic said in an 8 September statement that its contract will fund explorations of a configuration based on the Overture aircraft the company is developing for commercial supersonic flight. The Overture would have carbon-fibre composite materials to maintain strength at elevated temperatures better than the aluminum alloy used on the supersonic Concorde. The composites would also expand and contract much less than metal under supersonic conditions, allowing the Overture to conceptually fly at higher speeds, according to a company statement.

Artist’s illustration of Boom Supersonic’s Overture supersonic aircraft the company is developing. Boom Supersonic was one of three companies that received USAF contracts for work on supersonic executive transport aircraft. (Boom Supersonic)

Hermeus said on 6 August that it is partnering with the USAF and its presidential and executive airlift directorate to work towards hypersonic travel for the Pentagon. The company’s award is another transaction for prototype agreement, direct to phase 2, contract through AFWERX.

Hermeus’ work is focusing on rapidly assessing modifications of the company’s Mach 5 aircraft to support the United States presidential and executive airlift fleet. Hermeus believes that early integration of unique USAF requirements for high-speed mobility and evaluation of interfaces between high-speed aircraft and existing communications, airport, and air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure lays the groundwork for a transition to service. Hermeus will also prepare test plans to reduce technical risk associated with these modifications to support USAF requirements.