Defense contractor BAE Systems appears to be borrowing a few pages out of the “Transformers” sci-fi film series for its next generation of jet aircraft.
Of the bold and futuristic design concepts unveiled in a series of new videos, one draws its name directly from the big-budget robot epic, and is capable of separating into three independent aircraft to accomplish multiple mission tasks at once, including recon, surveillance and resupply.
WATCH:
Another dubbed “The Survivor” features an aircraft skin made of an adhesive liquid within nanotubes, which would be capable of “self-healing” in-flight when hit by enemy fire.
WATCH:
The third titled “Directed Energy Systems” displays the potential use of weapons of the same name for missile defense, which traditionally employ anti-missiles to shoot down incoming missiles.
WATCH:
(RELATED: Lockheed’s New Laser Weapon Can Shoot Down Boats, Drones And Rockets)
The British-based contractor domestically headquartered in Arlington, Va. near the Pentagon, said such technologies could be feasible by 2040 or sooner. However, as a Bloomberg Businessweek report points out, the DOD’s headaches over the combination of much-more conventional technologies in Lockheed’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program could create a lasting aversion to advanced planes for a long time to come. (RELATED: Entire F-35 Fleet Quietly Grounded Ahead Of July 4 Holiday)