General Atomics Receives DARPA Contract To Develop Liberty Lifter Seaplane

The conceptual platform is designed to carry heavy loads while flying in ground effect.

Jonathan Welsh

Thursday, December 01, 2022 at 04:50 PM ET

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An artist rendering of DARPA's Liberty Lifter. [Courtesy: DARPA]

Key Takeaways:

DARPA has initiated a new development phase for its Liberty Lifter military seaplane concept, awarding General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. a nearly $8 million R&D contract.
The Liberty Lifter is envisioned as a strategic airlifter, designed with twin fuselages to operate independently from water (ports or beaches) using inexpensive materials and construction.
Its unique flight capability primarily involves flying low over water using wing-in-ground effect for efficiency and range, with the added ability to fly at altitudes up to 10,000 feet.

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A new development phase for the Liberty Lifter, a large military seaplane concept, is under way, roughly on schedule.

The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded a contract of just under $8 million to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. for research and development work on the project. Earlier this year DARPA told FLYING it was evaluating proposals and expected to issue a contract in the fall.