Darpa Derp

DARPA logo

I actually love DARPA, as they usually have really cool concepts and prototypes that really help further new technologies into the mainstream. At the same time, they also seem to equally love just doing wacky, near impossible concepts without any regard to feasibility, and they usually die at either the concept stage or the small scale model point of the program, despite wanting working conceptual prototypes by the end of most programs. 

Enter a new project I recently saw from DARPA called the "Liberty Lifter" project that aims to create a long-range, low-cost X-plane following the ekranoplan concept that was featured in an article on The War Zone.

Concept art of the Liberty Lifter. Dunno why they don't go with jets as they would likely be for efficient, and have been proven in both seaplanes and ekranoplans. All pics sourced from The War Zone article.

The US DoD has long wanted super-sized air transports and seaplanes, and this seems like an almost lazy continuation and mash-up of the two concepts. I would agree the US DoD is dumb and wasteful for not pushing seaplanes for the roles of transport, maritime patrol, anti-shipping, anti-sub, airborne command communications and control, and even AWACS would be welcome. See the the Martin P6M SeaMaster for an example of a major missed opportunity. 

Now, that's not to say I don't think this project can't have enormous potential, just that I think the Navy's abandonment of seaplanes in the modern age is a big, bone-headed mistake. If they really want a capability that can accommodate this new DARPA concept, they need to start operating an off the shelf platform that can start the Navy on the path of having well ironed out operations that can pave the way for more advanced platforms. For example, why not just buy some ShinMaywa US-2s for use by the navy to prove the concept of the operations, facilities and roles it can accommodate? Or, there has also been talk of Lockheed creating a possible MC-130J Amphibious version for the U.S. Special Operations Command that would also be another option that could help offset the cost if more are bought. Heck, I say why not get both just to see if one is a better concept than the other in critical areas?

The Japanese US-2 Seaplane

MC-130 Amphibious variant. Both are good options to implement a capability that's been missing in the military for about 50 years. 

Basically, DARPA has a lot of cool ideas that do end up helping to mature revolutionary concepts, but at the same time have just as many failed, go nowhere, does nothing programs that may have a bit better chance of succeeding if they were tied in better to the actual DoD activities/operations. So when I see this I just see another pie in the sky concept that the military isn't really on board with, otherwise they'd be doing something about it. 

Anyways, here's a video of the project and goals below from DARPA themselves: