AFWERX Prime
Abstract
AFWERX Prime is a new acquisition approach that uses government-specific resources to reduce risk in emerging technology markets while partnering with investors, industry, interagency, and international partners for accelerated, affordable, and agile commercial and military capability. These Prime efforts are led by a Chief Commercialization Officer whose key responsibility is to accelerate technology commercialization for fielding of military capability. Agility Prime is the first effort in the series and will provide research, development, testing, and evaluation to field transformative vertical flight technology in 2023. These systems may incorporate non-traditional electric or hybrid propulsion for manned or optionally manned missions, with onboard, remote, or eventually autonomous control. Agility Prime will leverage commercial investment in technologies that support mobility and sustainment in benign or contested environments to enable agile, lower-cost distributed logistics, humanitarian operations, or disaster response operations. AFWERX Prime explores associated technologies and potential follow-on Prime initiatives, such as space technologies, autonomy, high-speed capabilities, microelectronics, energy, quantum and digital engineering applications across a spectrum of technologies. Future Prime initiatives will use the same paradigm to leverage commercial technology and investment for high returns on government participation in this sector, achieving advanced, agile, and accelerated fielding of commercial and military capability bolstering national security and domestic technological dominance. Next-Gen Large Aircraft aims to accelerate prototyping and widespread adoption of blended wing body aircraft for military and commercial applications, leveraging common goals among DOD and allied nations, commercial airlines and freight companies, other industry partners, and private investors. Cargo, tanker, and non-stealth bomber aircraft account for approximately 40% of DOD's total annual operational energy consumption, estimated to be about 1.2 billion gallons per year. Next-Gen Large Aircraft endeavors to meaningfully reduce fuel delivery logistical challenges, and prime the U.S. commercial aerospace sector to advance 21st century airframe designs in similar manner as military-developed aircraft primed commercial aircraft derivatives in the mid-20th century.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2023
- Source ID
- 640858_0604858F_4_3600_PB_2023
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