DARPA’s Newest X-Plane: X-76 Fold-Away Rotor Aircraft
March 10th, 2026Introducing our latest X-Plane, the X-76! ?
Part of a joint effort with @USSOCOM on the SPRINT program, this experimental aircraft is being built by @BellFlight to demonstrate runway-independent, high-speed flight. pic.twitter.com/hBnDzjcHAO
— DARPA (@DARPA) March 9, 2026
Via: The War Zone:
Bell’s X-76 design centers on wingtip proprotors with blades that fold away after the transition from hover to level flight, as you can read more about here. The company calls this the Stop/Fold rotor system.
As we have described in the past:
At its most basic, the Stop/Fold concept is intended to offer vertical takeoff and landing capability, as well as the ability to hover, but with a tilting rotor system that can be stowed in a lower-drag configuration to allow for higher-speed level flight. A separate traditional jet propulsion system provides forward thrust in the latter mode.
