Skift Take

JetZero is one of multiple aircraft startups with promises of low or zero emissions that have raked in hundreds of millions of dollars in recent months.

Justin Dawes

JetZero, which has won U.S. Air Force backing to build a demonstrator for a futuristic aircraft, expects a projected 50% cut in fuel consumption to open the doors of the airline industry as well the Pentagon, its chief executive said. The U.S. Air Force on Wednesday announced a $235 million contract for the California startup to develop a "blended wing body" demonstrator, named because its wings merge seamlessly with the curvaceous fuselage, reducing drag. The concept has been around since the 1940s but has attracted renewed attention because of its efficient elliptical shape, saving fuel and boosting range. The demonstrator is expected to fly in 2027 and could influence the design of future military cargo jets and aerial refuelers. The Air Force hopes to begin buying a next