Why The Military's Black Knight Transformer (A Flying Jeep) Never Took Off

If you've ever been off-roading in a Jeep, you know the perils of running across a particularly steep grade or body of water you cannot cross. This problem is something Advanced Tactics attempted to solve for the U.S. Army via the development of the Black Knight Transformer, which isn't a new toy from Hasbro — it's a flying jeep. At least it would have been. The Black Knight combines the roadworthiness of a tactical ground vehicle with the versatility of a helicopter, and while it could fly, it never got off the ground in terms of full-scale development.

Essentially, the Black Knight is a vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) hybrid aircraft that's primarily meant for use on the ground. This is different from helicopters and other V/STOL aircraft because they primarily operate in the air. The Black Knight was idealized as a more robust means of traversing terrain with a highly modular payload capable of being configured for numerous mission types. It began development in 2010, and by 2012, a prototype was created as a proof of concept that functioned as desired.

The Black Knight's versatility was planned for use as a piloted or pilotless drone capable of driving to or landing in a target location to pick up casualties and take them to safety for treatment. While the prototype worked and indicated it could potentially be used in military operations and training, it was limited by range, weight, carrying capacity, and new technologies that ultimately rendered the design undesirable to the Army. Still, Advanced Tactics continues to develop the technology, but it doesn't appear as if the U.S. military will be a customer.

Another vehicle being developed by BAE Systems is also called the Black Knight, is a futuristic unmanned tank, which could have necessitated a name change should Advanced Tactics' vehicle been procured. The final prototype of the Black Knight "flying jeep" had a service ceiling of 10,000 feet. It weighed 4,400 lbs. and Advanced Tactics lists its ground speed at 70 mph, thanks to its fully independent drivetrain, and its airspeed was 150 mph with a range of around 20 miles. It could carry up to 1,600 lbs. or eight passengers, which is what a HMMWV can carry in an ambulance configuration.

The vehicle features four wheels for traversing the ground and eight motors and attached dual-blade propellers. These appear to be similar to the type of propellers outfitted on many quadcopter drones, though significantly larger and more robust. The back of the Black Knight dropped to function as a ramp so personnel could quickly disembark or load the vehicle with casualties that need to be airlifted to a combat support hospital (CSH) or other facility.

The Black Knight wasn't armed, so it couldn't engage in combat with air-to-air missiles like some helicopters. Soon after the prototype demonstrated its capabilities, Advanced Tactics placed it in storage. A few years later, it found its way to eBay to help fund future projects, but didn't sell. It appears Advanced Tactics is still developing the technology, but is focusing on newer vehicle types, including a wheelless flying car and the Transformer sUAS drone, which is smaller and could be used for a variety of military and non-military functions.