Darpa seeks an underwater plane

Remember the Bond car that was also a sub? How about Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea's flying subs? Well Darpa have put on their wild idea caps and have asked for a feasibility study on guess what...yep a flying sub. If your in doubt, here is the government site that is asking for proposals for just such a device.

From the Fedbizopps.gov Darpa site: DARPA is interested in a feasibility study and experiments to prove out the possibility of making an aircraft that can maneuver underwater.

From Network World: The agency's Submersible Aircraft research project is exploring the possibility of making an aircraft that can maneuver underwater with the goal of revolutionizing the US Department of Defense's ability to, for example, bring warfighters and equipment to coastal locations or enhance rescue operations. DARPA said that the concept being evaluated here is for a submersible aircraft, not a flying submarine.

Darpa has gone so far as to set up preliminary specs for said Uplane: here is a partial list.

• Flight: The minimal required airborne tactical radius of the sub-plane is 1000 nautical miles.
• Loiter: The platform should be capable of loitering i for up to 3 days .
  
• Payload: The platform should be capable of transporting 8 operators, as well as all of their equipment, with a total cargo weight of 2000 pounds.

<- more on the DARPA proposal ->