I have money to spare: USAF contributes to the development of Boom’s supersonic plane
Boom Supersonic announced the conclusion of a strategic partnership agreement with the United States Air Force (USAF). With this contract, the USAF will invest up to $60 million in the research and development program aimed at building the Overture, the company’s first model.
This agreement with Boom comes through the Air Force’s AFVentures division, which is part of the AFWERX innovation program designed to provide funding for the development of technologies with military potential. The contract will accelerate the development of Overture, Boom’s commercial aircraft, which, if it one day materializes, will carry between 65 and 88 passengers at Mach 1.7, twice the speed of today’s aircraft. According to Boom, the model is designed to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuels.
The aircraft, according to Boom, would begin production in 2023, with the first test flights around 2025. Commercial service, however, would begin by the end of the decade.
The USAF funding will accelerate critical design and development initiatives, including wind tunnel testing and powerplant selection.
This contract is the second between the USAF and Boom, substantially increasing the investment in this venture. Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom, noted that «we are deeply grateful for the Air Force’s continued support and recognition of our leadership in the field of supersonic flight. We look forward to collaborating with the USAF on military missions using commercial aircraft,» the executive closed.
A possible military variant of the Overture could offer the Air Force a strategic asset with fast transport capability, with potential applications in VIP transport or fast personnel egress.
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