Lockheed is working with Aerion to a supersonic business

(Reuters) – The group of defense Lockheed Martin is partnering with the aircraft manufacturer Aerion to develop the first business jet to be supersonic in the world.

In the course of the next year, the two groups will establish a project for all the phases of this program, including, among others, the engineering, the certification and the production, in order to build the Aerion AS2, reported Friday the two companies.

Aerion, based in Reno, Nevada, estimates that this supersonic airplane is expected to enter service by 2025.

In may, the division GE Aviation of General Electric (NYSE:GE) was associated with Aerion to develop an engine, supersonic for the AS2.

Last year, Lockheed was awarded a research contract from Nasa to design a supersonic muffler in the framework of the program “Commercial Supersonic Technology Project” of the u.s. space agency.

(Arunima Banerjee in Bangalore; Catherine Mallebay-Vacqueur for the French service)