The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) today officially announced the X-76, the newest experimental aircraft in its X-Plane series. The aircraft is part of the SPRINT (Speed and Runway INdependent Technologies) program, a joint effort between DARPA and the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
The X-76 is being developed and manufactured by Bell Textron (Bell Flight) to fill a significant capability gap: it combines the high flight speeds of a fixed-wing aircraft (targeting over 400 knots, with ambitions of up to 450 knots at relevant altitudes) with the runway-free takeoff/landing flexibility and hovering capability of helicopters or VTOL platforms.
The design aims to operate with the agility of a rotary-wing aircraft, without dependence on vulnerable – even makeshift – runways or infrastructure, ideal for special operations in contested or remote environments, eliminating the traditional trade-off between speed and accessibility.
The name “X-76” is a deliberate reference to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026, referring, as it is stated, to “the revolutionary spirit of 1776”.
Construction and ground testing will follow after the completion of the Critical Design Review, while flight testing is scheduled to begin in early 2028. It builds on Bell’s experience in tiltrotor aircraft and high-speed VTOL technologies (such as the V-280 Valor), likely evolving options such as rotating/folding rotors/propellers for efficient high-speed flight with gas propulsion!
