Pentagon mulling ‘feasible’ designs for flying Humvee

Yahoo ^ | 10/27/11 | Liz Goodwin

[NormsRevenge]

The high-tech researchers at the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) say they're reviewing two "feasible" designs for a flying Humvee vehicle called the "Transformer."

The tank-like machine is supposed to be able to take off and land vertically. The plan is for it to be operated by a person without flight training--or by no one at all, Aviation Week reports. AAI and Lockheed Martin have each submitted potential designs, in tandem with Piasecki Aircraft. AAI's prototype would weigh 7,500 pounds and combine traditional plane wings with a helicopter rotor on top. Lockheed Martin's design, above, is 500 pounds lighter.

[NormsRevenge]

They're shooting for a million a pop.

[NormsRevenge]

Lockheed Martin and Piasecki Aircraft's design (via Aviation Week)

[NormsRevenge]

AAI Corporation's design

[omega4179]

Its time to cut military spending then.

[NormsRevenge]

some other potential designs Here at Aviation Week

[nkycincinnatikid]

I can just see Ahnold Swartzennegger and Micheal Douglas managing the first airborn traffic accident on Rodeo Drive in their new toys.

[NormsRevenge]

awwww..

[Jeff Head]

A lot cheaper than a blackhawk...but a lot less capable and more vulnerable too.

They would be an RPG magnet.

Watching the bomb squad show in Afghanistan is a real eye-opener for what our guys are going through over there in the sand box. We have finally put in the field vehicles that are suited for the IED environment.

[Deaf Smith]

Humvee? Looks like a Yugo & Gremlin cross with outrigger wheels.

[Calusa]

BWA-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha is this the DUmmie FUnnies, or the FREEPER Canteen?

[Kirkwood]

Better to put American engineers to work than to simply throw that same money away on welfare cases and getting absolutely nothing in return.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

“According to Aviation Week, the Pentagon hopes each device will cost about $1 million to make once the design plans are finalized. That’s more than a tank costs ....”

Wrong, wrong wrong. Either that, or a meaningless statement (”tank” covers a wide range of armenents).

[Liberty Valance]

[Deaf Smith]

I noted that they had to make it DOT legal with the Stability Control suspension (Soccer Mom Law) since it came in under 10K#.

[RedMDer]

Attention FReepers! - Blast

[Bobalu]

[Washi]

[taxcontrol]

Hmmm, what about auto-gyro combined with vectored fan?

[Lady Lucky]

Ugly as sin but betcha it’s fun to ride.

[Lady Lucky]

How much noise would it make, anyone know? There’s something so zen about gliders, and so off-putting about whirrr and putt-putt-putt. That thing looks wake-the-dead loud.