Spike Aerospace S-512 Diplomat supersonic business jet enters new design phase
August 14, 2025
Spike Aerospace is refreshing its brand as it makes progress in developing its Spike S-512 supersonic business jet. The aircraft is slated for introduction in the late 2020s and will be able to “quietly” fly over both land and sea.
Spike Aerospace is advancing designs for its quiet supersonic business jet
As Boom Supersonic makes progress in developing its supersonic commercial airliner Overture, Spike Aerospace is progressing in developing its supersonic business jet called the Spike S-512 Diplomat.
On August 14, Spike Aerospace reported it has made “significant progress in the development” of the supersonic jet, saying that a new design phase is now underway. As part of the effort, Spike is undertaking a complete brand refresh, and even the website is being updated.
Spike announced it is “completing an enhanced study to further refine the S-512 Diplomat’s aerodynamics, cabin configuration, and low-boom performance.” It says the work seeks to “validate the aircraft’s ability to meet stringent noise requirements for overland supersonic flight.”
The Concorde’s boom got it banned over land.
— Spike Aerospace (@SpikeAerospace) August 12, 2025
We’re fixing that.
With low-boom shaping and CFD, Spike Aerospace is designing supersonic aircraft quiet enough for overland routes — from coast to coast, not just ocean to ocean.
🔗 https://t.co/DBZxAov2au #Supersonic #Aviation… pic.twitter.com/gAHds6RmLf
The aim is for the jet to fly at supersonic speeds over both land and sea. This will overcome a major limitation of the Concorde, which was restricted to routes over the sea during supersonic flight. Flying over land will dramatically expand route flexibility and reduce travel times around the world.
Whereas Boom is targeting commercial airlines and their business-class passengers, Spike is targeting governments, corporations, and wealthy individuals with its private jet.
Overcoming the sonic boom
Spike Aerospace claims the Spike S-512 will provide quiet supersonic travel, saying it will fly between New York and Paris in under four hours “without the disruptive sonic boom.”
One of the greatest issues with supersonic aircraft has always been noise. For decades, NASA has been experimenting to find ways to reduce the sonic boom and noise created by these aircraft.
It is currently working with Lockheed Martin to build the X-59 QueSST experimental aircraft. NASA recently announced it tested a miniature X-59 in a wind tunnel at Mach 1.4.
Previously, Boom advertised on its website that its aircraft would enable 20% faster travel overland and around Mach 1.7 over water. In June 2025, Trump signed an executive order to lift the ban on supersonic aircraft over US territory. Boom now just says the aircraft can cruise at Mach 1.7
For reference, conventional commercial aircraft typically cruise at Mach 0.78-0.85. The now-retired Concorde had a cruise Mach of around Mach 2.
The upcoming Spike S-512 Diplomat supersonic business jet
The twin-engined S-512 Diplomat is targeting speeds of Mach 1.6 (1,100 mph) and will feature a windowless cabin. Instead of windows, passengers will have panoramic displays. It will have a capacity for 12 to 18 passengers and will cut flight times by over 50%.
Spike Aerospace was founded in 2013, and it is hoping its flagship business jet will come into service in the late 2020s. Meanwhile, Boom’s Overture is expected to enter service in 2029 and will have a capacity of 60 to 80 passengers. Boom’s experimental XB-1 recently completed its 13th and final test flight.
The S-512’s range is unclear, although Spike previously listed it as 6,200 nautical miles. No longer listing the range, Spike lists example routes like Singapore to Sydney and New Delhi to London, suggesting it will be capable of routes longer than NYC to London.
