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                 US Military Seeks New Vertical-Takeoff Planes

   by George Putic

   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.

   WATCH: US Military Seeks New Vertical-Takeoff Planes

   ''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.

   Other concepts envision fewer engines but, according to DARPA, all have
   to meet four basic requirements: to be able to take off and land
   vertically, carry large payload, be maneuverable like a helicopter and,
   when in plane mode, fly at speed greater than 300 knots (555 kilometers
   per hour).

   None of the planes has been built at full size yet, but tests with
   small-scale models show that these groundbreaking designs just might
   work.

   The first competition, to see how they fly, is scheduled for 2018.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/united-states-military-seeks-new-vert
   ical-takeoff-landing-planes/3330139.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/united-states-military-seeks-new-vertical-takeoff-landing-planes/3330139.html