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Stavatti Aerospace, a U.S.-based aviation company led by CEO and Chief Designer Chris Beskar, has put forward a proposal to India for its SM-39 Razor aircraft concept.
Marketed as a next-generation fighter, Stavatti claims the SM-39 offers advanced capabilities at a competitive price point, suggesting a unit cost of $85 million and a total program cost of $3.3 billion.
Despite having never produced an aircraft, the company is promoting the SM-39 to potential international clients, including India, which is actively evaluating options for modernizing its fighter fleet, as well as to the U.S. Air Force.
The SM-39 Razor is presented as a sixth-generation platform capable of air dominance, interception, and all-weather strike missions.
Stavatti outlines two ambitious engine possibilities: either proprietary dual NeoThrust™ variable cycle turbofans, claimed to produce over 52,000 lbs of thrust each using magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) technology, or dual General Electric Aerospace (GEAE) Adaptive Cycle Engine (ACE) turbofans, each rated at 50,000 lbs of thrust.
These advanced propulsion systems, according to Stavatti, would enable the aircraft to achieve speeds exceeding Mach 4 (four times the speed of sound), combined with stealth features and sophisticated artificial intelligence integration. However, these impressive specifications remain theoretical, given the company's lack of a proven manufacturing track record.
Stavatti Aerospace first gained notice about a decade ago, often recognized for its ambitious, futuristic aircraft designs presented primarily through digital renderings. Concepts such as the SM-39 Razor, the Javelin trainer, and the Machete attack plane attracted attention but ultimately failed to progress beyond the design stage, leading to descriptions of the projects as "vaporware" – heavily promoted products that do not materialize.
CEO Chris Beskar has kept the company operational despite its inability to transition concepts into manufactured products. The company's most tangible connection to a physical aircraft is the Javelin design, which it acquired in 2008 from the defunct Aviation Technology Group (ATG).
A prototype based on this 1990s-era Javelin design did perform a short flight in 2005 under its previous owners, but it never entered production. The Machete concept similarly exists only as a design.
Considerable skepticism exists regarding Stavatti's ability to deliver on its promises for the SM-39. The primary concern stems from the company's absence of any history in aircraft manufacturing or managing complex production lines required for advanced fighter jets.
While the stated performance goals for the SM-39, such as Mach 4+ speed and AI-driven systems, align with concepts often discussed for future sixth-generation fighters, they are unverified without a flying prototype or demonstrated production capabilities.
Furthermore, the proprietary NeoThrust engines are an internal Stavatti concept lacking independent validation, and any potential use of GE Aerospace's ACE technology would depend on a partnership that has not been publicly confirmed by GE Aerospace.
India's ongoing search for approximately 114 new jets under its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program attracts offers from established global aerospace manufacturers, placing Stavatti's unproven concept against well-known competitors.
