JetZero advances blended‑wing jet prototype in Mojave

JetZero is assembling a full‑size blended‑wing demonstrator, called Jet1, at Scaled Composites’ facility in the Mojave Desert, California. The $235 million program is funded by the U.S. Air Force and uses Pratt & Whitney PW2000 engines, the same family that powers Boeing 757 aircraft.

The company says the integrated wing‑body design could cut fuel consumption by up to 50 % and is targeting a 200‑250‑passenger market that was previously served by the Boeing 757 and smaller 767 variants. Early interest has come from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, and the U.S. Air Force sees potential for military transport and aerial refueling applications. JetZero aims for the demonstrator’s first flight by the end of 2027, after which it hopes to move toward commercial production around 2030, with a planned manufacturing campus in Greensboro, North Carolina. Certification of the unconventional airframe remains the program’s biggest hurdle.