The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the US Department of Defense (DARP) is working on the creation of a flying combat transformer - a lightly armored SUV that could take off in the event of an aggravation of the situation on the battlefield. A working prototype should be ready by 2015, according to the American military magazine Defense News
The flying SUV will have multiple uses. It, in particular, can be used to patrol the area and deliver goods to remote military garrisons and posts. The vehicle will be able to carry four soldiers with ammunition or cargo with a total weight of up to half a ton.
American military analysts believe that such a machine will be able to overcome mine-hazardous areas without loss, simply by flying over them. It could also be effectively used by the US Marine Corps during amphibious operations, since it would allow it to fly over the enemy's coastal defenses.
Apparently, we are talking about a flying SUV of the AVX Aircraft company. Previously, the documentation about this machine was submitted to experts from the US Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DAPRA) and, probably, the project was approved.
The AVX Aircar is a four-seater off-roader helicopter equipped with two foldable coaxial propellers as well as two annular tail propellers. A flying car can reach speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour on the road or fly at a speed of 225 kilometers per hour.
Switching the mode from driving on the highway to taking off takes less than a minute. The machine can also land in rough terrain. The rear propellers provide acceleration in flight or create additional vertical thrust when directed downward. The carrying capacity of the rotorcraft is about 470 kilograms. The flight range on one fuel tank is 460 kilometers at an altitude of about 3 kilometers.
