LONG BEACH, CA -- In 2023 the Department of the Air Force announced a partnership with California-based startup JetZero to develop a blended wing body (BWB) prototype aircraft, with the goal to give the service and commercial industry options for gains in aircraft fuel efficiency, range and operational flexibility.
The service has often collaborated with the commercial sector to transition technology into the DoD by mutually beneficial means. Through this, the commercial sector can potentially increase their profitability, and the DoD can save money long term by playing a role early in the development process. Several military aircraft configurations could be made with the BWB design, including air transport and tanker variants, which collectively account for approximately 60% of the Air Force’s total annual jet fuel consumption.
Since the Department’s initial $235M investment, JetZero has made significant progress in BWB development by continuing to secure corporate investments. United Airlines recently announced an investment in JetZero that includes a conditional purchase agreement with a path to order up to 200 airplanes. This partnership adds to several other major collaborations including a March 2025 announcement by Delta Airlines. Additionally, Alaska Airlines announced an investment in the start-up’s Series A funding in August 2024 including an option for future aircraft orders. JetZero is driving toward entry into commercial service by 2030.
“The public-private partnership to develop the BWB is reshaping aviation and generating the potential for unmatched capability for large aircraft,” said Roberto Guerrero, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Operational Energy. “We need to accelerate innovation in warfighting technology at a rapid pace and with cutting-edge solutions that maximize lethality-per-gallon of the joint force. Partnerships with private industry demonstrate the broader interest in and potential of BWB designs for both commercial and military applications and reinforce the Air Force’s vision for its long-term operational benefits.”
The BWB design merges the fuselage and wings into a seamless aerodynamic structure that reduces drag and enhances lift. This innovation, long explored in the aerospace industry, is now closer than ever to reality, thanks to advancements in materials science, manufacturing, and digital modeling. The integrated airframe design is expected to provide 30% more aerodynamic efficiency than today's tankers, bombers, and cargo aircraft, enabling increased range, loiter time, and fuel offload capabilities. This improvement is critical as the Department of Defense seeks to optimize energy use while maintaining operational superiority in contested logistics environments.
The path to the BWB prototype has achieved key developmental milestones, keeping it on schedule for its first demonstrator flight in 2027.
Dan Pike, Chief of Acquisition Policy and Programs for Department of the Air Force Operational Energy, emphasized the importance of these advancements: “Blended wing body aircraft have potential to provide significant increases in combat capability per gallon, which is critical for fuel-constrained environments like the Pacific. Both distant and recent history demonstrate the contested nature of wartime logistics. Congress has reinforced the importance of addressing that risk in recent National Defense Authorization Acts. BWB is about increasing efficiency to reduce contested logistics risk and maximize effectiveness. In aggregate and when fuel is limited, every gallon of gas not needed for one sortie is available for additional combat air power.”
During peace time and competition, BWB aircraft offer substantial reductions in fuel costs compared to tube and wing aircraft of similar size, which is not only of benefit to taxpayer-funded DoD operations, but also to commercial airline operators. Beyond fuel savings, the BWB design offers unique benefits in terms of mission adaptability. Its spacious internal volume could allow for greater flexibility in cargo transport or troop deployment, as well as a more spacious cabin and enhanced customer experience for commercial air travel. Unlike traditional aircraft that are limited by cylindrical fuselage constraints, the BWB configuration can accommodate more diverse mission payloads while maintaining efficiency.
Future iterations of BWB aircraft could offer additional options across several mission sets for both DoD and commercial markets.