Summary
The Liberty Lifter program is currently designing and will build, float, and fly an affordable and innovative seaplane that can potentially transform fast logistics missions for the DOD and commerce.
Liberty Lifter’s innovative manufacturing techniques and materials offer a path to utilize existing infrastructure to rapidly build – at low-cost – a capability essential for our warfighters, helping to advance the efficacy of our defense industrial base to meet near-term needs.
Liberty Lifter could also provide sea-based search and rescue and disaster response at the scale of ships with the speed of air transport.
Liberty Lifter will deliver these innovative capabilities by:
- Operating efficiently for long distances flying low over the ocean surface in a wide range of conditions
- Sustaining flight altitudes up to 10,000 feet mean sea level with a compromise on range
- Efficiently transporting large payloads at speeds far exceeding existing sea lift platforms
Program status
As of February 2025: The program is in Phase 1C in which the performer will progress the technical maturity of the aircraft configuration, structure, and systems. The Phase 1C work will also start procurement of long-lead components and accelerate manufacturing development to ease the transition into Phase 2.
The program is planning for a preliminary design review (PDR) in Phase 2 in Q1 FY2026. First flight is targeted for FY2029.