Bell completes the Critical Design Review on the DARPA SPRINT X-Plane programme and receives official X-76 designation.
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Press Release, Fort Worth TX, 09 March 2026: Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, successfully held the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) programme. This milestone allows Bell to begin building the next-generation aircraft demonstrator, recently designated as the X-76.
“Bell is honoured to receive the X-76 designation and continue the spirit of American innovation honouring the founding of the United States in 1776,” said Jason Hurst, Bell SVP, Engineering. “This is an important milestone as the Bell and DARPA team advances to a historic first in aviation history and fulfil our mission of developing next-generation vertical-lift aircraft.”
In July 2025, Bell announced the company was down-selected for Phase 2 of the programme in the latest chapter of its 90-year history of X-plane development. The goal of the SPRINT programme, jointly funded by DARPA and US Special Operations Command, is to advance next generation runway independent technologies that can be scaled to different military aircraft through designing an aircraft with the ability to cruise at speeds from 400 to 450 knots at relevant altitudes and hover in austere environments from unprepared surfaces. In Phase 1A and 1B, Bell completed conceptual and preliminary design efforts for the SPRINT X-plane. Phase 2 includes detailed design, build, and ground testing culminating in flight test during Phase 3.
Since its inception, Bell has pushed the known boundaries of flight through pioneering high speed and vertical lift aircraft from the X-1 to the XV-3 and XV-15. The SPRINT programme brings together all of this into one vehicle to provide runway independence with jet speeds.
“The Bell team looks forward to seeing X-76 take flight and bring this capability to our warfighters,” added Hurst
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