The Z-5 tanker from JetZero would be able to refuel aircraft near the front lines while maintaining a low profile. Will the Air Force purchase any?
JetZero is teaming up with Northrop Grumman to design a new tanker design for the Air Force. The Z-5 is a blended-wing body that resembles a boomerang or B-2 stealth bomber and is made entirely of composites. It reduces weight and drag while increasing lift, making for more efficient flight. The aircraft is considerably shorter than the Boeing 767 but can carry about the same number of civilian passengers. The military tanker version of the Z-5 will carry twice the fuel than the KC-46A while maintaining a range of 5,000 nautical miles.
One of the Z-5’s most interesting features is a front landing gear that extends several feet on takeoff, increasing the angle of attack by six degrees. The Air Force wants to follow the KC-46A Pegasus with a stealthy tanker that can operate close to the front line, supplying fighters and bombers with fuel while staying off the enemy’s radar. The Z-5 design is stealthy, with few vertical surfaces for a good radar return and the lack of a tail and vertical stabilizer.
The Air Force has a fleet of 527 tankers, including the 66-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker, the KC-10 Extender, and the new KC-46A Pegasus. The Air Force is buying 179 KC-46A Pegasus tankers and 75 “bridge” tankers that will either be the KC-46A or LMXT, a Lockheed Martin/Airbus tanker proposal. JetZero believes its design will fly in the 2030s, right around the time the Air Force will want a stealthy tanker.