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Economy
Army chooses Bell's tilt-rotor aircraft over Sikorsky's helicopter for $1.3 billion Black Hawk replacement contract
2022-12-06

Connecticut-based Sikorsky lost out on a $1.3 billion contract to produce an aircraft that the Army envisions would replace its fleet of Black Hawk helicopters, failing to win over Pentagon brass with its Defiant-X prototype in partnership with Boeing. The contract was instead awarded to Texas-based Bell, which aims to produce its own V-280 Valor tilt-rotor aircraft.
The Marines think they are safe, right?
Good enuf for Secret Service and Presidential baggage. The Principal, his family, aides and staffers travel via other means.
Posted by:DarthVader

#13  That wasn’t meant to be snarky, ed. US MIl has all platforms in all branches. To include Coasties, which I do. Fixed wing, rotary, bullet catchers, and boats.
Posted by: Lowspark   2022-12-06 21:02  

#12  Maybe in Canada.
Posted by: Lowspark   2022-12-06 20:50  

#11  I have a question: When the rotors tilt forward, with the fixed wings, does it become a fixed wing aircraft, and belong to the Air Force?
That's been the criteria...
Posted by: ed in texas   2022-12-06 19:09  

#10  Who exactly are the designers? Who exactly are the maintainers? Who exactly are the logies? Who are the ops that just got voluntold to become meat servos? Any failure along that chain kills the pilot. Eventually it kills multiple pilots and their crews.
Posted by: Lowspark   2022-12-06 17:47  

#9  In one major difference from the earlier V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, the engines remain in place while the rotors and drive shafts tilt. A driveshaft runs through the straight wing, allowing both prop rotors to be driven by a single engine in the event of engine loss. Wikipedia

Sounds like an improvement.
Posted by: Bobby   2022-12-06 17:29  

#8  I think it came down to Bell having a better Powerpoint presentation than Sikorsky.
Posted by: Matt   2022-12-06 16:45  

#7  What's wrong with the Blackhawk?

They are old and like the Huey in the 90s, are underpowered compared to the new things they can produce now. I rather liked the Sikorsky and thought it was a fantastic replacement. The tilt-rotor will no be able to fit in the tight spaces the Blackhawk could. We set down in clearings that were slightly smaller than the diameter of the rotor and it took off smaller branches easily.

I feel the Army is losing some capability with the tilt-rotor. May be faster and more fuel efficient enabling greater range though.
Posted by: DarthVader   2022-12-06 14:57  

#6  What's wrong with the Blackhawk?

It's not complicated enough.
Posted by: Matt   2022-12-06 13:39  

#5  Have we learned nothing from USMC Aviation ?
Posted by: Besoeker   2022-12-06 13:02  

#4  "all I want to know is how many commies can I throw out of it per flight..."
Augusto Pinochet
Posted by: bman911   2022-12-06 12:55  

#3  Sadly their attitude seems to echo Sen Blutarsky,'...it don't cost nuthin'.
Posted by: Cesare   2022-12-06 12:39  

#2  What's wrong with the Blackhawk? This will just be another Osprey.
Posted by: Chris   2022-12-06 11:43  

#1  The never ending pentagon attraction to shiny new things with amazing retirement opportunities? By all means lets embrace the wisdom of a bifurcated aviation operations system, with differing maintenace, parts, training and sustainment needs, since the helicopter fleet will remain operational for decades to come. Brilliant!
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2022-12-06 11:40  

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