The S-97 Raider is Sikorsky’s proto-prototype for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft. It’s competing with the Bell 360 Invictus — but unlike the S-97, the 360 isn’t flying yet.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.The companies’ proposed Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) to replace the UH-60 is a sleeker, stealthier version of the prototype SB>1 Defiant now in flight tests. Can it beat Bell’s tiltrotor?
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.Despite COVID-19, the SB>1 Defiant team is testing furiously to catch up with archrival Bell’s V-280 tiltrotor, which has almost 10 times as many flight hours.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.The Army will pick either the Bell 360 Invictus or the Sikorsky Raider-X as its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft. Get a close-up look at both contenders.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.The Raider-X compound helicopter not only meets the Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance needs today, Sikorsky FARA director Tim Malia told us: It has the margin for growth “to be a good investment for the taxpayer for decades to come.”
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.The Bell 360 Invictus and the Sikorsky Raider-X will vie for the final contract to build FARA, with rival prototypes in flight by 2023. Bell and Sikorsky (with Boeing) are also facing off for the FLRAA transport.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.WASHINGTON: In normal times, this week would see Bell Textron and the Sikorsky-Boeing team showing off their cutting-edge aircraft at AUSA Global Force in Huntsville, with video displays, models, and even full-size mock-ups. With conferences closed down because of the coronavirus, we’re making an all-out push to give you a virtual taste of Huntsville (click…
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.Zoom in on the Sikorsky-Boeing and Bell contenders to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk with exclusive photographs.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.Boeing’s famous Phantom Works threw the kitchen sink at the problem: This is an aircraft with a helicopter-style main rotor, a tail rotor, a pusher propeller, and a wing-like “stabilator.”
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.After decades of R&D, the race to replace the UH-60 helicopter is entering its last few years.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.“The Army has learned its lesson” from past acquisition disasters, said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who’s “very pleased” with FVL. This program is truly different, agreed one of the fathers of the cancelled Comanche, retired Maj. Gen. Rudy Ostovich.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.AVX/L3, Bell, Boeing, Karem, and Sikorsky have submitted their designs for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft. None of them is a conventional helicopter.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.
In the competition for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, high agility and low life-cycle costs matter most, a former Marine tiltrotor test pilot argues.
By Scott Trail