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DARPA Grants Bell X-Plane Status for SPRINT Program Aircraft

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has officially granted X-plane status to Bell's aircraft concept for the Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) program. This designation underscores the project's significance in advancing experimental flight technologies for the Department of Defense. The SPRINT program aims to develop a demonstrator aircraft capable of achieving speeds exceeding 400 knots while also possessing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities. Bell's design was selected to move forward in the program, which seeks to blend helicopter-like agility with jet-like speed. This milestone is a critical step towards building and flight-testing a new class of transformational military aircraft.

Official Source: https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2026-03-10/darpa-grants-bell-x-plane-status-sprint-program-aircraft