NASA and BAE test new X-planes for supersonic and future fighter tech

NASA’s X-59 and BAE’s GCAP demonstrator mark a renewed push to trial high-speed aircraft technologies in real flight.

NASA’s X-59 is a supersonic research aircraft intended to soften sonic booms, addressing the noise that kept Concorde from serving US routes. It made its first flight in 2025 and is now crossing the sound barrier over selected American towns. Removing the pilot would have made certification for fast flights over urban areas more costly and complex. Separately, BAE Systems is coordinating 100 UK suppliers, including Rolls-Royce, on a flight demonstrator to test technologies for GCAP, whose fighter is due to fly in the 2030s. The demonstrator will use Typhoon engines and is expected to fly in 2028.