According to studies by Boeing and Airbus, aircraft with a body that combines wings or in English blended wing body (BWB) can reduce fuel consumption. At the same time more cargo than conventional aircraft designs. The United States Air Force (USAF) last week selected the JetZero firm as the winner of the contract to build a prototype BWB aircraft for their use.
The chosen design has a wide body, short wings and two engines placed at the rear of the aircraft body. BWB aircraft can reduce fuel consumption by up to 50%, reduce air friction by up to 30% and carry more cargo for the fuel burned.
The BWB differs from the flying wing design used on the B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider in that it still has significant body parts. Flying wings do not have room for large cargo and require a computer to fly due to the focus on radar detection capabilities.
The BWB concept was originally designed for passenger planes but because it was so wide, those sitting in the middle couldn't see out because of the far windows. For military use, this is not a big issue. The large interior space can not only accommodate larger cargo but also allows it to be a refueling aircraft. Another advantage is that with the engine positioned at the top, it can operate from unpaved runways with FOD risk signs.
Boeing has demonstrated the concept of a cargo plane difficult to detect by radar with the BWB design before. Interestingly Boeing was among the contenders to win the USAF contract but lost to JetZero.