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:

Lockheed's 1980 "Flatbed" concept was a modular transport aircraft designed to combine passenger, standard cargo, and outsized cargo capabilities using an open platform.
Its most unconventional feature was the proposal to carry large military equipment like tanks exposed to the elements, which aerodynamic studies found to be surprisingly plausible despite increased drag and fuel burn.
The design emphasized versatility and rapid loading/unloading of various modules (including passenger pods and multimodal containers) through a hinged nose, aiming for high operational efficiency and quick turnarounds.
Despite a detailed study concluding its technical and economic feasibility, the Flatbed concept never materialized beyond the initial research phase.

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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.