Aurora Flight Sciences, a subsidiary of Boeing located in Manassas, Virginia, has received an $8.3 million contract modification to continue the design of an experimental heavy cargo seaplane named Liberty Lifter for the U.S. military. This follows DARPA’s decision to discontinue considering General Atomics’ proposal for the program.
Initially, in February 2023, both Aurora and General Atomics were selected by DARPA for the Liberty Lifter Seaplane Wing-in-Ground Effect program, which was conceived to be as large and capable as the C-17 Globemaster mobility aircraft. However, the program has since been scaled down to the size of a C-130 Hercules, although future plans might scale it back up to a C-17 size depending on the success of initial demonstrations.
The Liberty Lifter is designed to operate efficiently even under difficult maritime conditions, capable of taking off and landing in Sea State 4, which includes waves up to about 8 feet, and sustaining operations in even rougher conditions.
General Atomics had proposed a unique twin-hull design intended to enhance water stability, featuring a mechanism to deploy cargo directly onto beaches. However, Aurora’s approach, which recently included a redesign to relocate its floats to the wingtips and modify the tail to better accommodate the aft cargo door, stayed closer to traditional seaplane designs.
Christopher Kent, the DARPA Liberty Lifter program manager, emphasized the need for rapid progress and innovation, noting that Aurora was more closely meeting the program’s stringent schedule and technical goals. While General Atomics expressed disappointment over the decision, spokesperson C. Mark Brinkley highlighted the company’s ongoing commitment to collaborate with DARPA and support the success of the Liberty Lifter program.