Liberty Lifter: Darpa wants to make its ekranoplan

Here is the return of ekranoplansthe Soviet aircraft resembling a gigantic seaplane which used ground effect to fly low over water or a flat surface. But this time it’s on the side of the Darpa that this concept wants to see the light of day. The project door the name of Liberty Lifter and it is a tactical cargo plane with a wide range. Designed like a seaplaneI’aircraft, must be able to take off and land on water and carry very heavy loads. It will also have to remain stable, even on rough waters and also leave the ground effect to be able to fly at medium altitude. Like the Soviet ekranoplans, the Liberty Lifter could fly above the water like a hydrofoil, speed very high but, unlike them, it should be more maneuverable and able to fly over rough seas.

A “low cost” ekranoplan

For the moment, Darpa is only in the first phase of this project, that is to say the concept. We can also see it in a video published by the organization (see above). As this aircraft will be capable of carrying heavy loads, this means that its lift must be very high at low speed to ensure water landing smoothly and without breakage. It will also have to be able to absorb the forces waves. Another constraint, it will have to be able to remain operational at sea for weeks without requiring maintenance. Finally, Darpa wants to reduce its production bill as much as possible by using more affordable materials than those used in aviation.