US future Liberty Lifter seaplane to revolutionize sea logistics with 22,000 kg cargo capacity.

On October 29, 2024, Aurora Flight Sciences, a subsidiary of Boeing, released a new video demonstrating the Liberty Lifter seaplane concept, part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program. The Liberty Lifter project aims to enhance sea-based logistics by combining maritime transport capabilities with the speed of aviation. The video presents the aircraft as a potential solution for fast, heavy-lift transport from the sea without needing airstrips or ports, with applications that could include logistics, search and rescue, and disaster response.
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As part of Phase 1, Aurora Flight Sciences is designing a demonstrator aircraft with a 65-meter wingspan, capable of carrying up to 22,680 kg of cargo, as well as operating both in standard flight at altitudes up to 3,000 m, and in ground effect close to the ocean’s surface. (Picture source: Aurora Flight Sciences)

The Liberty Lifter program was launched by DARPA to develop a low-cost, heavy-lift seaplane capable of operating in ground effect close to the ocean’s surface, improving flight efficiency and range. Aurora Flight Sciences has partnered with Gibbs & Cox, a naval architecture and marine engineering company, along with other collaborators, to design the aircraft. The seaplane can take off and land in open sea conditions, even in moderate to rough sea states, and could represent a significant advancement in sea-based transport systems.

As part of Phase 1, Aurora Flight Sciences is designing a demonstrator aircraft with a 65-meter wingspan, capable of carrying up to 50,000 pounds (22,680 kilograms) of cargo. The aircraft is designed to operate both in standard flight at altitudes up to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), and in ground effect close to the ocean’s surface. The technologies tested on this X-plane are expected to be applicable to future aircraft with cargo capacities comparable to that of the C-17, which can carry up to 180,000 pounds (81,647 kilograms).

The development team is utilizing low-cost manufacturing techniques from the shipbuilding industry to ensure affordability. The Liberty Lifter is being designed to take off and land in sea conditions up to Sea State 4 and operate in ground effect up to Sea State 5. Tow tank testing has been completed at the Stevens Institute of Technology and Virginia Tech to validate hydrodynamic models and seakeeping performance, while propeller performance characterization has been conducted in preparation for wind tunnel tests scheduled for early 2025. A cockpit simulation lab is also under construction for testing pilot interaction with advanced control systems for flying in ground effect over high sea states.

The project is now in Phase 1B, which includes ongoing design refinement and testing, leading up to a preliminary design review. The next phase, Phase 2, will involve further development and a critical design review, with Phase 3 planned for 2026. Phase 3 includes manufacturing the demonstrator aircraft, followed by flight testing, which is projected to start in 2028.

The Liberty Lifter project was initiated by DARPA in mid-2022 to explore the potential of a seaplane that uses ground effect to transport large loads while operating independently of runways. Unlike earlier ekranoplan designs, the Liberty Lifter is expected to perform in moderate to rough sea conditions and fly at altitudes up to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). In February 2023, DARPA awarded contracts to two companies for competing designs. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems partnered with Maritime Applied Physics Corporation, while Aurora Flight Sciences teamed with Leidos subsidiary Gibbs & Cox. Aurora's design features a monohull with a high-wing configuration and relies on eight turbine engines, a concept similar to Boeing's earlier Pelican proposal.

Initial contracts awarded in 2023 provided funding for the development of both teams' designs, with Aurora receiving around $5.6 million. DARPA exercised further funding options in mid-2023, providing Aurora with an additional $19.5 million to continue its design work. The final designs for Phase 1 were expected by mid-2024, and in May 2024, DARPA selected Aurora's design to move forward with an $8.3 million contract modification. The demonstrator aircraft, scaled to the size of a C-130 Hercules, is expected to have a wingspan of 213 feet and be capable of lifting 50,000 pounds of cargo. If successful, this design will be scaled up to match the cargo capacity of a C-17, carrying 180,000 pounds (81,647 kilograms).

The Liberty Lifter is designed to operate less than 100 feet (30 meters) above sea level in ground effect, enabling efficient long-distance travel with a range of 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 kilometers). It is also designed to meet the U.S. Department of Defense's heavy-lift requirements, capable of carrying a load equivalent to two U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicles or six 20-foot (6-meter) storage containers. Aurora's design, selected over that of General Atomics, is now moving toward the next phase of development, with a flying prototype expected by 2027 or early 2028.