The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) are teaming up to field a new aircraft that can take-off and land vertically like a helicopter, but fly through the battlespace like a jet — taking a page right out of Marvel’s Avengers’ play book. Unlike tilt-rotor platforms like V-22 Osprey, this render from Aurora Flight Sciences shows four internally-stowed lifting fans handling vertical landings and hover operations, with jets producing forward propulsion. Let’s talk about this program and the unique benefits of the Aurora Flight Sciences Blended-Wing-Body design proposal.