The US Army has awarded its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft contract to the Bell V-280 tilt rotor.
I thought that the Boeing/Sikorsky Defiant-X should win.
First, we already know the issues with tilt rotor aircraft from the performance, or lack thereof, of the V-22.
Second, the Defiant-X is far more agile, (particularly during takeoff landing) and lighter, and requires smaller engines, and so will be cheaper to operate.
Third, it can auto-rotate to a relatively safe crash in the event of loss of power.
Forth, it's better suited to carrying external loads.
The V-280 is about 40 kts faster, and it appears to have longer range, but I don't think that this justifies the additional cost and reliability problems that have always been associated with tilt-rotor aircraft.
Also, I've been following Sikorsky's advancing blade helicopters since the S-69 in the 1970s, and it kind of a geek preference for me.
1 comments :
Well it is more expensive, complicated, and less likely to work. That makes it a no-brainer for defense procurement (and share price, which is the only operative element in the choice)
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