Artist’s concept for a future operational aircraft based on SPRINT X-76 technology. In this rendering, an optionally piloted aircraft cruising at speeds up to 450 knots.
Artist’s concept for the SPRINT X-76, a proof-of-concept technology demonstrator that aims to demonstrate technologies and concepts needed for runway-independent, high-speed flight.
The Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) project is a joint DARPA/U.S. Special Operations Command effort that aims to design, build, and fly an X-plane to demonstrate the key technologies and integrated concepts that enable a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence.
The SPRINT X-plane is intended to be a proof-of-concept technology demonstrator and its flight test program seeks to validate enabling technologies and integrated concepts that can be scaled to different size military aircraft. The goal of the program is to provide these aircraft with the ability to cruise at speeds from 400 to 450 knots at relevant altitudes and hover in austere environments from unprepared surfaces.
https://www.darpa.mil/research/programs/speed-runway-independent-technologies?utm_source=dvids&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=sprint&utm_term=operational-aircraft
| Date Taken: | 03.09.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2026 17:44 |
| Photo ID: | 9559877 |
| VIRIN: | 260309-D-QD798-5096 |
| Resolution: | 3478x1961 |
| Size: | 1.31 MB |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 4 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, DARPA’s new X-76: Speed of a jet, freedom of a helicopter, by george wertz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
