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:

The Liberty Lifter, a large military seaplane concept, has entered a new development phase with DARPA awarding General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. an almost $8 million contract for R&D, expected to be completed by May next year.
Designed as a tactical and strategic airlifter to carry C-17-like loads, its twin-fuselage design allows operation from water, eliminating dependence on airfields and enabling deployment from ports or beaches.
The aircraft is unique in its ability to fly low over water using ground effect for efficiency, while also being capable of ascending to altitudes of up to 10,000 feet when necessary.

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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.