Aurora begins final assembly of revolutionary X-65 aircraft

Aurora Flight Sciences said the fuselage of its X-65 experimental aircraft has arrived for final systems integration.

The Boeing subsidiary said teams in Virginia are now installing the aircraft’s electrical, propulsion, and active flow control systems, while wing and tail production continues at its facility in West Virginia. The update marks the program’s transition from major structural assembly into the final integration phase ahead of flight testing.

“The X-65 fuselage has arrived! Our teams are now integrating electrical, propulsion, and AFC systems into the aircraft fuselage in Virginia, while wing and tail manufacturing is advancing at our facility in West Virginia,” the company said.

The aircraft is being developed under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s CRANE program — short for Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors — a research effort focused on proving active flow control in flight.

At the center of the program is a concept that replaces traditional control surfaces, such as flaps and rudders, with carefully directed jets of air. Instead of moving physical panels to steer, the aircraft changes its attitude by manipulating airflow over the wings and control surfaces.

In simple terms, the X-65 is being built to test whether aircraft can fly and maneuver using air jets rather than conventional mechanical controls.

Aurora said the approach could reduce aircraft weight and mechanical complexity while improving aerodynamic efficiency. If successful, the technology could influence future designs for military aircraft, unmanned systems, and research platforms.

“The X-65 is part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency – DARPA CRANE program to demonstrate active flow control (AFC) — technology that replaces traditional aircraft control surfaces with jets of air,” the company said in its update.

Aurora and DARPA reached a co-investment agreement in August 2025 to complete the aircraft and move it toward first flight. Since then, the program has progressed through design reviews and into full-scale manufacturing.

The fuselage, wing assemblies, and engine diffuser were produced at Aurora’s Bridgeport, West Virginia facility. With the fuselage now moved to Virginia for integration, the aircraft is entering one of the most critical stages of the program.

The X-65 is a purpose-built flight demonstrator rather than an operational aircraft. It features a 30-foot wingspan and a gross weight of 7,000 pounds, giving engineers a dedicated platform for repeated aerodynamic and control-system testing.

Its active flow control system uses pressurized air delivered through fourteen embedded effectors positioned across the aircraft’s flying surfaces. Those air jets are intended to manage pitch, roll, and yaw without relying on conventional moving surfaces.

The aircraft’s triangular wing layout and modular design also allow engineers to test multiple wing sweep configurations and swap out active flow control effectors for future experiments.

“We’re excited to continue our longstanding partnership with DARPA to complete the build of the X-65 aircraft and demonstrate the capabilities of active flow control in flight,” said Larry Wirsing, vice president of aircraft development at Aurora Flight Sciences. “The X-65 platform will be an enduring flight test asset, and we’re confident that future aircraft designs and research missions will be able to leverage the underlying technologies and flight test data.”

With final systems integration now underway and major airframe work still progressing in West Virginia, the program is steadily moving toward its 2027 first-flight target — a milestone that could provide some of the clearest flight data yet on air-jet-based aircraft control technology.