Stratolaunch adds Boeing 777-200ER to hypersonic carrier fleet

Stratolaunch, the US hypersonic flight company, has bought a used Boeing 777-200ER to add to its fleet of carrier aircraft. The widebody twinjet will be modified to carry the company's Talon-A hypersonic vehicle aloft for air launches.

That brings Stratolaunch's captive-carry fleet to three aircraft. The other two are Roc, the six-engined aircraft built by Scaled Composites for the role and described as the world's largest fixed-wing aircraft, and a Boeing 747-400 named "Spirit of Mojave", acquired after former operator Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy in 2023.

Modification of the 777 is scheduled for completion in 2027. Stratolaunch says the aircraft will let it maintain continuous launch readiness and increase flight capacity by 35%.

Chief executive Zachary Krevor said demand for hypersonic technologies continues to grow, and that adding a Boeing 777 would improve flight flexibility and long-term capacity.

With the third carrier in service, the company says it will be able to support operations anywhere on Earth, offer a broader range of mission profiles and run concurrent parallel missions. In July, Stratolaunch said it had completed more than 10 hypersonic flights with the Talon-A.