The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the US Department of Defense has set its sights on an extraordinary goal: developing a future aircraft carrier that can take to the skies. While current military air operations heavily rely on large manned aircraft, these missions come with inherent risks for both aircraft and pilots. Unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAS) offer a solution to mitigate such risks, but they currently lack the speed, range, and endurance of their manned counterparts.
To address this limitation, DARPA envisions building an airborne aircraft carrier, reminiscent of the iconic concept seen in the Avengers movie. This futuristic carrier would have the capability to carry, launch, and recover various drones from anywhere in the world.
Dan Patt, the director of DARPA, explains, “We sought to explore diverse solutions to enhance the efficiency of small aircraft, and one potential idea is to repurpose existing large aircraft as air carriers.”
DARPA’s ambitious project, Distributed Airborne Capabilities, aims to convert aircraft like the B-52 ‘flying fortress,’ B-1B Lancer bomber, or C-130 Hercules transport aircraft into functional air carriers.
Furthermore, DARPA is also engaged in the Hydra Project, which focuses on developing a network of subsurface “motherships” capable of deploying unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles.
Meanwhile, the US Air Force is making strides in the development of small unmanned vehicles that can fly in swarms, akin to bees, and crawl like spiders. Although initial prototypes have been created, energy consumption remains a significant challenge, limiting their operational time to a few minutes.
Researchers estimate that refining battery storage technology will be crucial to make these designs viable, a process that is expected to take several years for the US Air Force to achieve.
As DARPA and the US Air Force push the boundaries of innovation and technology, the realization of an airborne aircraft carrier and advancements in unmanned aerial capabilities could revolutionize future military operations, offering enhanced flexibility, reduced risk, and expanded mission possibilities.
