Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky reveal radical SB>1 Defiant 'supercopter' that will be the fastest helicopter in the world (and replace the Blackhawk AND Apache)
- The radical craft is being built by Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky - and has been revealed for the first time.
- Craft could replace the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter and the UH-60 Blackhawk
- Craft tops out at 300 mph and is able to hover 6,000 feet in the air
It could be the future of military helicopters.
Called SB>1 Defiant, the radical craft is being built by Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky - and has been revealed for the first time.
'The SB>1 DEFIANT is designed to fly at twice the speed and range of today's conventional helicopters and offers advanced agility and maneuverability,' Sikorsky said.
The craft, which could enter service in the 2030s, could replace the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter and the UH-60 Blackhawk.
The SB>1 DEFIANT is designed to fly at twice the speed and range of today's conventional helicopters and offers advanced agility and maneuverability
When it enters service, the Defiant will carry a crew of four and a cabin equipped for up to 12 combat-ready troops or eight medevac litters
When it enters service, the Defiant will carry a crew of four and a cabin equipped for up to 12 combat-ready troops or eight medevac litters.
There will also be an attack variant that shares a common fly-by-wire drivetrain and many other systems, but has a different composite fuselage and is much more heavily armed.
'Designed for the Army’s attack and assault missions as well as the Marine Corps long-range transportation, infiltration and resupply missions, the SB>1 DEFIANT is uniquely suited to provide the warfighter with unmatched capabilities for the U.S. Military’s various missions,' the firms said.SB1>DEFIANT FEATURES
He called the Defiant 'a very hot, sexy aircraft.'
Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, and Boeing are partners on SB>1 DEFIANT, as well as Future Vertical Lift Medium.
The Defiant would cruise at 250 knots and hover at altitudes of 6,000 feet.
This is more than a hundred miles an hour faster than the UH-60M Blackhawk transport, as it maxes out at 183 miles an hour.
It will also have the strength and power to carry more cargo than the average helicopters, but Lockheed is not giving all of its secrets away – it has yet to release the range and payload capacity.
However, the firm is boasting about the machine's innovated design.
The 'warcopter' would be equipped with foldable, ridged composite rotor blades that create less downwash when it lowers to the ground to drop off or pick off soldiers and supplies.
And the pusher propeller and active rudders will provider pilots with more stability when hovering, as a well a helping them quickly accelerate and decelerate while in flight.
The fly-by-wire concept, designed with two coaxial rotors and a pusher propeller, is said to speed through the air at nearly 300 mph and hover like a hummingbird.
The 'warcopter' would be equipped with foldable, ridged composite rotor blades that create less downwash when it lowers to the ground to drop off or pick off soldiers and supplies.
Defiant is designed to be more efficient when transporting soldiers – the cabin seats 12 people comfortably or eight medevac pallets - the Blackhawk can only carry 11 soldiers.
And there is weapon employments in all modes of flight.
Lockheed also shared that the Defiant can also 'dramatically reduced acoustic signature', which means it is much quieter than traditional helicopters and can go undetected by surrounding enemies.
Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky and the Boeing Co. are still fabricating parts for the first Defiant, which is their entrant in the Army-run Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstration (JMR TD) program.
Flight of the Valkyrie: US Air Force shows off its new XQ-58A 'loyal wingman' combat drone
The US Air Force has taken the wraps off its new stealth fighter drone.It was developed in just over 2.5 years, from contract award to first flight – a milestone that took place March 5 at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona.
The Air Force released footage from the unmanned XQ-58A Valkyrie’s inaugural flight this week, and says the demonstrator craft behaved ‘as expected.’
The XQ-58 Valkyrie is a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle (UAV) developed by the Air Force Research Lab in partnership with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems. During its inaugural flight, it was in the air for 76 minutes
The XQ-58 Valkyrie is a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle (UAV) developed by the Air Force Research Lab in partnership with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems.
During its inaugural flight, it was in the air for 76 minutes.
The combat drone will be put through a total of five planned test flights in its two phases of development.
This will help to evaluate and perfect system functionality, aerodynamic performance, and launch and recovery systems, the Air Force says.
XQ-58 was developed under the Air Force Research Lab’s Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) portfolio, which is working to create military craft at cheaper prices.
‘The objectives of the LCAAT initiative include designing and building UAS faster by developing better design tools, and maturing and leveraging commercial manufacturing processes to reduce build time and cost,’ the Air Force said in a statement this month.The new stealth craft came to fruition in less than three years.
‘XQ-58A is the first example of a class of UAV that is defined by low procurement and operating costs while providing game changing combat capability,’ Doug Szczublewski, AFRL’s XQ-58A Program Manager.
It’s hoped the craft will eventually be used for lower cost surveillance, strike, and electronic warfare support, according to The Drive.
It would operate as a so-called loyal-wingman, providing support to crewed aircraft.
XQ-58A has a range of more than 2,000 miles and can take off using rocket boosters, The Drive notes.
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