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Discussions about replacing the Army’s current aircraft fleet have been in the making for a while now. Though the current helicopters utilized in places like Afghanistan and Iraq are said to be the best in the world, the new prototypes, called joint multi-role (JMR) or future vertical lift (FVL), will combat capability shortfalls.
According to a statement by Army Maj. Gen. Kevin W. Mangum, commander of the Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Ala., “The service is looking for a faster aircraft with increased range and payload that can also operate in higher altitudes and in hotter temperatures…optimizing a platform for any one of those attributes, there’s a tradeoff. We need a platform and a capability that can get after all of those things and have a vertical capability.”
For nearly three decades now, the Army has been upgrading and retrofitting existing aircrafts, instead of developing new prototypes. While some argue that this program is needed, others are skeptical of how funding will come together for aircrafts that aren’t said to have initial operational capability until 2034.
Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at the Teal group stated, “They would have to come up with enough of a reason to spend that money, and history tells us it might not be there,” he said. “Is there enough other stuff that you would add, that can’t be retrofitted, that can’t be inserted into an existing airframe? “I’m not sure that the case is there for new technology, and betting that it will be in another 10 or 15 years, that might be a little aggressive.”
On February 28, 2013 Boeing sent out a press release stating they would be teaming up with Boeing and submitting a joint proposal to build a demonstrator aircraft based on Sikorsky’s X2 Technology rotorcraft design for the JMR Phase 1 program.
The press release states, “The Sikorsky and Boeing proposal will demonstrate how X2 Technology, with its counter-rotating coaxial main rotors, pusher propeller, and advanced fly-by-wire system, will deliver efficient 230-knot cruise airspeed, improved hover efficiency, and weight-optimized design in an affordable package,” said Samir Mehta, president of Sikorsky Military Systems. “By leveraging our proven design, we can offer the Army reduced risk, a 100-knot improvement in speed, a 60 percent improvement in combat radius, and 50 percent better high-hot hover performance.”
The other 3 companies in this competition are Bell Helicopter, AVX Aircraft Co., and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. Each team submitted proposals to build demonstrators that will fly some time between 2017 and 2019. Only two will be selected for the award which is expected to be announced later this year.
Capewell, founded in 1881, is a world leading supplier to military customers worldwide
Future Vertical Lift | Capewell
According to a statement by Army Maj. Gen. Kevin W. Mangum, commander of the Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Ala., “The service is looking for a faster aircraft with increased range and payload that can also operate in higher altitudes and in hotter temperatures…optimizing a platform for any one of those attributes, there’s a tradeoff. We need a platform and a capability that can get after all of those things and have a vertical capability.”
For nearly three decades now, the Army has been upgrading and retrofitting existing aircrafts, instead of developing new prototypes. While some argue that this program is needed, others are skeptical of how funding will come together for aircrafts that aren’t said to have initial operational capability until 2034.
Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at the Teal group stated, “They would have to come up with enough of a reason to spend that money, and history tells us it might not be there,” he said. “Is there enough other stuff that you would add, that can’t be retrofitted, that can’t be inserted into an existing airframe? “I’m not sure that the case is there for new technology, and betting that it will be in another 10 or 15 years, that might be a little aggressive.”
On February 28, 2013 Boeing sent out a press release stating they would be teaming up with Boeing and submitting a joint proposal to build a demonstrator aircraft based on Sikorsky’s X2 Technology rotorcraft design for the JMR Phase 1 program.
The press release states, “The Sikorsky and Boeing proposal will demonstrate how X2 Technology, with its counter-rotating coaxial main rotors, pusher propeller, and advanced fly-by-wire system, will deliver efficient 230-knot cruise airspeed, improved hover efficiency, and weight-optimized design in an affordable package,” said Samir Mehta, president of Sikorsky Military Systems. “By leveraging our proven design, we can offer the Army reduced risk, a 100-knot improvement in speed, a 60 percent improvement in combat radius, and 50 percent better high-hot hover performance.”
The other 3 companies in this competition are Bell Helicopter, AVX Aircraft Co., and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. Each team submitted proposals to build demonstrators that will fly some time between 2017 and 2019. Only two will be selected for the award which is expected to be announced later this year.
Capewell, founded in 1881, is a world leading supplier to military customers worldwide
Future Vertical Lift | Capewell
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