The U.S. Air Force is exploring revolutionary ways to transport military cargo around the globe, awarding study contracts to Blue Origin and Anduril Industries. These contracts, part of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) program, signal a potential shift in how the Pentagon handles logistics.
Rocket Cargo: A New Era of Logistics?
Blue Origin received $1.37 million, while Anduril secured $1 million to explore how their technologies, including rockets, could be used for rapid global cargo transport. While seemingly small, these contracts could be the first steps toward larger-scale funding and implementation.
Anduril's Intriguing Foray
Anduril's contract is particularly interesting, suggesting the defense startup is expanding into a new business area. The REGAL program, under which these awards fall, aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using commercial, reusable rockets and reentry systems to deliver cargo to remote locations in under an hour.
Blue Origin's Role
Blue Origin's contract focuses on analyzing how its technology can support "point-to-point material transportation." The work will likely take place at their facility on Merritt Island, Florida, where they are developing the New Glenn rocket.
Rapid Response and Humanitarian Aid
The broader Rocket Cargo initiative envisions using rockets for agile global logistics, enabling rapid delivery of aircraft-sized payloads for urgent humanitarian assistance and disaster response. This initiative aims to create a "delivery as a service" model, similar to how the Department of Defense contracts with commercial airlines.
- Faster Delivery: Reach remote locations in under an hour.
- Reusable Rockets: Utilizing commercial, reusable systems for cost-effectiveness.
- Agile Logistics: Enabling rapid response to emergencies and humanitarian crises.
The Air Force's investment in these studies indicates a serious interest in exploring the potential of rocket-based cargo delivery. As the REGAL program progresses, it will be interesting to see how these initial studies translate into real-world capabilities.