Collins Aerospace Partners with Boom Supersonic for Groundbreaking Initiative
Collins Aerospace Systems, a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, has entered into an innovative collaboration with Boom Supersonic. This partnership aims to enhance nacelle technology for Boom’s highly anticipated supersonic airliner, Overture, which is set to become the fastest airliner in the world while adhering to leading standards of speed, safety, and sustainability.
The engineers at Collins Aerospace will collaborate closely with Boom Supersonic to develop cutting-edge inlet, nacelle, and exhaust system technologies. These advancements are designed to reduce fuel consumption and promote superior acoustics, ensuring a cleaner and quieter supersonic flight experience. Utilizing lightweight aerostructures and variable nacelle geometries, Collins Aerospace brings over 70 years of expertise to this innovative nacelle technology, including the pioneering of the first commercial variable fan nozzle for high-bypass-ratio geared turbofan (GTF) engines.
“By leveraging improved acoustics and lightweight materials, we aim to deliver the next generation of supersonic propulsion systems that enhance performance, lower fuel consumption, and minimize noise,” stated Marc Duvall, President of Aerostructures at Collins Aerospace.
“With 19 successful nacelle certification programs completed in the last decade, we are ideally positioned to partner with Boom Supersonic and create new propulsion-system solutions that are essential to the success of Overture,” he added.
The collaborative engineering team will focus on advancing acoustics and optimizing variable inlet and exhaust technologies to significantly reduce aircraft noise for passengers and surrounding communities, while simultaneously enhancing performance.
“Boom is adopting a comprehensive sustainability strategy—committing to making Overture 100% carbon neutral and minimizing noise and emissions. Our goal is to ensure that mainstream supersonic travel is both environmentally responsible and economically viable,” remarked Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic.
“We are capitalizing on Collins’ specialized experience in developing fuel-efficient and noise-reducing nacelle technologies to create Overture as an environmentally friendly supersonic jet,” Scholl added.
Boom’s mission is to make the world significantly more accessible through mainstream supersonic travel. The Overture’s design phase is currently underway, with plans to finalize configurations and initiate the construction of the first airliner, all while the XB-1 demonstrator continues its supersonic flight tests. The inaugural Overture aircraft is set to debut in 2025, with service entry planned for 2029.
Boom envisions uniting families, businesses, and cultures through supersonic travel. As the first commercial aircraft manufacturer to commit to a carbon-neutral flight test program, the company is embedding sustainability into its entire aircraft development process. The XB-1, Boom’s supersonic demonstrator for Overture, made its debut in 2020 and is preparing for its first flight. With backing from top-tier investors and 30 aircraft on pre-order, Boom, established in 2014, boasts a team of over 140 full-time professionals who have enriched more than 220 air and spacecraft initiatives.
Collins Aerospace Systems leads in innovative and intelligent solutions within the global aerospace and defense sectors. With a comprehensive portfolio and expertise, Collins Aerospace addresses customers’ most pressing challenges in a rapidly changing global market. The company reported net sales of approximately $26 billion in 2019 and employs 71,000 individuals across over 300 global locations. It is one of the four primary divisions that constitute Raytheon Technologies.
Raytheon Technologies Corporation was formed in 2020 through the merger of Raytheon Company and United Technologies Corporation. With a workforce of 195,000 and four industry-leading sectors—Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Raytheon Missiles & Defense—the company provides groundbreaking solutions in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics.
