Aviation News July 9, 2025 – Bell Textron Inc., a subsidiary of Textron Inc., has been selected to advance to Phase 2 of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) X-Plane program. In this next phase, Bell will focus on the detailed design, construction, ground testing, and certification of a next-generation X-plane demonstrator.
“Bell is honored to move forward with DARPA’s SPRINT initiative and excited to showcase a groundbreaking aircraft featuring the first-ever stop/fold rotor technology,” said Jason Hurst, Senior Vice President of Engineering. “This milestone reflects over a decade of development and draws on Bell’s 90-year legacy of X-plane innovation to deliver new capabilities to the warfighter.”
The SPRINT program aims to develop high-speed vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft capable of cruising at speeds between 400 to 450 knots while operating in challenging, austere environments—including from unprepared surfaces.
During Phases 1A and 1B, Bell successfully completed both conceptual and preliminary designs. With the transition to Phase 2, the company will now enter the detailed design and build stage. This will lead to flight testing in Phase 3.
To support the X-plane’s development, Bell has already conducted significant risk-reduction efforts. These include demonstrations of folding rotor mechanisms, integrated propulsion systems, and advanced flight control technologies at Holloman Air Force Base, as well as extensive wind tunnel testing at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University.
Bell continues to lead in vertical lift innovation, having developed pioneering VTOL platforms such as the X-14, X-22, XV-3, and XV-15 for NASA, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Air Force. The company’s work on SPRINT builds upon this legacy, including its historic role in the creation of the Bell X-1.
Image Bell Helicopters
