WASHINGTON: Late last month, the Army eliminated three of the contenders for its long-awaited scout helicopter. Now the race to build the high-speed, high-tech Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft is down to two:
- the Bell 360 Invictus, a relatively conventional single-main-rotor helicopter — except it has wings for added lift — that Bell says is the lower-cost, lower-risk choice;
- the Sikorsky Raider-X, a revolutionary compound helicopter — combining twin ultra-rigid rotors and a propeller — descended from the award-winning X2.
We’ve spliced together video and imagery from both companies, as well as what we’ve taken ourselves before, during, and after test flights. Click the video above to watch, and click here to read our entire series on Future Vertical Lift.
