Silent Hawk- sounds like the perfect name for a stealth fighter jet (or a 90s PC Game). It invokes imagery of a futuristic father that knocks enemy planes out of the sky. Well the Silent Hawk is a stealth concept but a fighter jet, instead its a hybrid motorcycle. Yes you read that correctly, the Silent Hawk is being designed as a silent and stealthy motorcycle that can be ridden by special ops units far behind enemy lines.

The Motorcycle of the Future

The cycle’s development is sponsored by DARPA and is based off of Alta Motors’ Redshift bike which is an all electric motorcycle. However, the Silent Hawk will be a hybrid drivetrain with an electric motor and small Wankel rotary engine supplied by Cubewano. Not only will this motor be a power train but it will act as a generator and charge the electric battery while in use. Hybrid has a double meaning aside from electric and ICE, the rotary engine will be multifueled, meaning it will be able to run on diesel, gasoline or JP-8 (a diesel fuel developed for Jets and tanks).

The Alta Redshift, the bike the Silent Hawk will be based off of.

Go Behind the Lines

The hawk is intended to be operated behind enemy lines for long periods of time. According to Fox News it’s been designed so field repairs are simple and quick. Its current total one trip range is 170 miles, 50 of those miles being in total stealth silence one the electric battery alone. It weighs about 350 pounds and has a top speed of 90 miles per hour.

Currently the 75th Ranger Regiment, Delta Force and other special operations groups use modified Kawasaki KLR250s and prior to that Honda CR250s but as you can image these make noise.  The Silent Hawk maybe a game changer for special operations units as they may now be able to ride behind enemy lines for longer periods of time with out detection which will allow them to reach targets faster than before.

Rangers from 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, train on their Honda bikes in 1995 at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. (Pictured from left to right: Ranger Corey Collins, Ranger James Moore, Ranger Trevor Debeor, Ranger Kenneth Johnston, and Ranger James Noel.) Photo by Ranger Kenneth Johnston.