When finished, the KC-Z4 is expected to offer significantly more fuel than existing tanker options.
Aerospace startup JetZero is working to develop a potentially ground-breaking tanker concept, known as the KC-Z4. Featuring a blended-wing body, the KC-Z4 is an ambitious and distinct aircraft, that deviates significantly from conventional tanker designs featuring a fuselage and wings.
The KC-Z4 Has Major Advantages Over Conventional Aircraft
According to JetZero, the KC-Z4’s blended-wing design will allow the aircraft to use 50 percent less fuel than conventional tankers—allowing the KC-Z4 to carry more fuel for the other aircraft and allowing for an expanded operational envelope. JetZero is also touting the KC-Z4’s capabilities as an airlift, suggesting that the blended-wing fuselage creates more lift, meaning the KC-Z4 “can use shorter runways, while its unusual cabin allows for taller pallets of cargo.”
The Air Force has already signed a $235 million contract with JetZero to produce a full-scale commercial demonstrator of the KC-Z4 in 2027. JetZero, having made multiple sub-scale demonstrator flights already, says that the KC-Z4 is presently on schedule for the 2027 delivery. “The full-scale fuel tanks are built, the cockpit tooling is complete, and a wing test article is being evaluated,” Air & Space Forces Magazine reported.
When finished, the KC-Z4 is expected to offer significantly more fuel than existing tanker options. According to Nate Metzler, head of strategic programs and partnerships at JetZero, the KC-Z4 will have enough gas after flying the 4,000 miles from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii to Taiwan, to offload 10,000 pounds each to six F-35s. For comparison, the KC-46, under similar circumstances, would only be able to offer 10,000 pounds to one F-35.
“You could sit in a refueling track for 45 minutes as the F-35s fill up and go on to do their work,” Metzler said. “And then the Z4 could go back to base 4,000 miles and land without having to refuel.”
JetZero is also excited about the possibility of the KC-Z4 as an airlift. “The KC-Z4 could carry up to 21 full-size pallets, whereas the KC-46 can carry up to 18,” Metzler noted. The KC-Z4 would also be able to carry about 120 troops, or be converted into other purposes, like an aeromedical evacuation platform, or a communications hub. JetZero is even considering the development of a pure-airlift variant, something with a rear cargo ramp and a different shape capable of accommodating taller cargo.
JetZero’s Project Has Many Potential Applications
In sum, the KC-Z4’s potential military application is wide. The plane’s remit could also extend well beyond the military realm; JetZero is also pitching their design to various airlines, arguing that the KC-Z4 offers unmatched fuel efficiency, a smooth boarding process, and plenty of baggage room for 200 to 250 passengers.
While the potential of the KC-Z4 seems clear, at least on paper, JetZero still has significant hurdles to clear before they can celebrate their novel design. Most obviously, they need to actually build the aircraft. Scaled Composites, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, has been contracted to build the KC-Z4 full-scale demonstrator, but who would actually build the KC-Z4 beyond the initial demonstrator remains unclear.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the U.S. Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
