After initial contractual bidding concluded late last year, the Pentagon and its peers in the weapons industry have finally cobbled together the final plans for the military's famed flying Humvee, the Transformer FX.
Pictured above is a concept illustration of what the 'Heli-car' will look like once it's deployed to battlefields in Afghanistan within the next two years. The Transformer TX has entered Phase 2 of its production sequence, moving onto a fully realized prototype that is capable of meeting all of the Pentagon's requirements. But this isn't simply a road-capable helicopter -- the Transformer will have to sustain small arms fire, brave off-road conditions and be able to transfigure itself and take off immediately. This will require the fly-drive vehicle to temper its own engine power with the need for a light, yet bullet-resistant structure. One thing is certain: the first Taliban or tribal Afghan to see these things in action will probably be scared stiff!
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Flying Vehicles
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in developing flying vehicles for military use.
- Transforming Technology
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating vehicles that can transform and adapt to different terrains and situations.
- Bullet-resistant Materials
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in developing lightweight yet bullet-resistant materials for military vehicles.
Where This Applies
- Aerospace
- Industry that can benefit from developing and manufacturing flying vehicles for military applications.
- Defense
- Industry that can collaborate with the military in developing and producing transforming vehicles for combat.
- Materials Science
- Industry that can explore and create advanced bullet-resistant materials for military use.
