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Two of America's biggest helicopter makers are teaming up to develop a next-generation helicopter for the U.S. Army.
Boeing, maker of the Apache attack helicopter, and Sikorsky, maker of the Black Hawk transport helicopter, have more than 60 years experience in the business — so you can count on them to develop something good.
The proposal selected by the Army will lay the groundwork for a Pentagon plan to replace more than 4,000 medium-lift helicopters, according to Reuters.
An early rendering of the Boeing/Sikorsky bird looks pretty good (see above). As noted in the press release:
The Sikorsky and Boeing proposal ... 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.
A 100-knot improvement in speed and a 60 percent greater range is an impressive claim, and the "high-hot" hover mention means no more downed birds in Abbottabad compounds. It was the high air temp that was largely responsible for the helicopter crash during the bin Laden raid.
The military has been seeking for years to improve its helicopters, which have improved surprisingly little since 1942.
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