US-based Natilus Commissions Composites Company to Manufacture Wings for KONA Freighter Prototype

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 11, US aircraft development company Natilus commissioned US composites manufacturer Composites Universal Group to manufacture wings for the full-scale prototype of its KONA blended wing body regional freighter. The wings will be produced at the company's facility in Oregon and are scheduled for delivery to Natilus's hangar in San Diego, California, in spring 2027, after which material and structural load testing will be conducted.

The manufacturing uses carbon fiber composites rather than conventional aluminum alloy. The wings feature conventional spar and rib structures, use aviation materials compliant with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards, and employ mechanical cable and pulley systems for flight controls. No fuel tanks are installed inside the wings, making this a dry wing design. The manufacturing process references the wing production methods of traditional transport aircraft such as the Textron Aviation King Air series, with emphasis on proven structural design and manufacturing methods.

The carbon fiber structure reduces the number of parts and fasteners required for wing assembly, lowering the number of riveted panels and drilled holes. Compared with aluminum alloy, the material also offers better corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance. Composites Universal Group has established dedicated tooling processes for this production and plans to control manufacturing costs and production cycles through tooling optimization. The company has previously participated in projects related to Airbus Defence and Space, Boeing, Archer Aviation, and SpaceX.

After the wings arrive in San Diego, Natilus will sequentially conduct composite coupon testing, bonded joint testing, and ultimate load testing to verify material performance, joint structural strength, and wing load-bearing capacity, before proceeding to the preparation phase for full-scale aircraft demonstration flights.

The KONA is a regional freighter with a blended wing body layout, designed for a payload of 3.8 tonnes, featuring an optionally piloted configuration, and targeting the commercial cargo and defense logistics markets. On October 21, 2026, the US Air Force provided Natilus with $3.5 million in research, development, test and evaluation funding to accelerate full-scale flight testing of the KONA and preparation for demonstrations in support of US joint force missions. This wing manufacturing contract represents follow-on manufacturing work for the development of the full-scale prototype.