The Fizzled-Out Promise of the Lockheed ‘Flatbed’

The concept aircraft would utilize an open platform and various modules to carry a wide variety of loads ranging from military equipment to passengers.

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 12:14 PM ET

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Unconventional in many respects, an initial study found the Lockheed ‘Flatbed’ concept both technically and economically feasible. [Credit: Lockheed]

Key Takeaways:

The Lockheed "Flatbed" was a 1980 concept for a highly versatile transport aircraft designed to carry passengers, standard cargo, and outsized military equipment on an open platform using interchangeable modules.
Its most unconventional feature was the proposal to transport large military vehicles, such as tanks, completely unsheltered from the elements, with studies conducted to address the resulting aerodynamic challenges and drag.
The concept also emphasized efficiency through modular design, allowing for removable passenger and cargo pods that could be pre-loaded off-airport to facilitate rapid aircraft turnaround times.
Despite initial studies concluding the Flatbed concept was technically and economically feasible, it ultimately did not advance beyond the research phase and was never built.

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In 1980, a small team of engineers from Lockheed explored a bizarre concept, the likes of which had never been studied before.

The group recognized that the transport aircraft category traditionally comprised three separate subcategories—passenger, cargo, and outsized cargo. It then created a concept that would combine all three. Aptly called the “Flatbed,” the concept aircraft would utilize an open platform and various modules to carry a wide variety of loads ranging from military equipment to passengers.