PteroDynamics has expanded its Blue Water Logistics UAS contract (BWUAS), to include the development and demonstration of a fleet-deployable, 330-pound P5 Transwing® VTOL, designed to transport critical repair cargo.
The contract with the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) marks the sixth and most significant expansion of PteroDynamics’ 2021 BWUAS prototype contract. It includes developing a larger, more capable aircraft than the P4 Transwing VTOL UAS, which completed successful sea trials during RIMPAC 2024.
The new autonomous P5 Transwing UAS aircraft will have a maximum takeoff weight of 330 pounds and a minimum range of 400 nautical miles carrying a 50-pound payload. It is designed for long-range tactical deliveries of critical repair cargo between ships and shore in contested maritime environments, a role currently handled by crewed aircraft.
PteroDynamics’ Transwing is an advanced VTOL aircraft system that folds its wings to transition seamlessly between configurations optimized for vertical and winged horizontal flight. It requires no launch and recovery infrastructure and occupies one-third or less ground footprint than other VTOL aircraft with a comparable wingspan.
Matthew Graczyk, CEO of PteroDynamics, commented, “Working with NAWCAD since 2019 has enabled PteroDynamics to identify and achieve key performance parameters that make the Transwing a uniquely capable VTOL UAS. This sixth contract expansion is so significant because it calls for the clean-sheet design, build, and demonstration of the next-generation P5 Transwing aircraft that will give the U.S. Navy an effective solution for automated just-in-time delivery of critical repair parts and supplies at sea.
“The size and capabilities of the P5 also hit a sweet spot in what we see in broader market demand, not only for other military branches like the Air Force, but also for commercial, governmental, and public safety operators around the world eager to leverage the key advantages of the Transwing platform.
“Maritime resupply missions are the lifeblood of naval operations, and for the U.S. Navy and our allies, there is a critical need to automate expensive, resource-intensive deliveries of critical payloads in strategic maritime environments like the Indo-Pacific region.”
PteroDynamics will design, build, test, and demonstrate two P5 Transwing UAS prototypes in a maritime environment to meet the following specifications:
- 330-pound maximum gross takeoff weight
- Ability to carry a 50-pound payload at least 400 nautical miles
- Hybrid electric/internal combustion engine powertrain that can burn JP-5 fuel
- Autonomous multi-aircraft operations
- Satellite communications for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operation
- Detect and avoid (DAA) capability
- Operation across a wider range of environmental conditions
- Transportable via C-130 and C-17 fixed-wing and CH-53 and CH-47 rotor aircraft
