Sikorsky And Boeing Collaborating On New Army Helicopter
Sikorsky Aircraft, the company who operates an aircraft completion center at Chester County Airport in Coatesville, is collaborating with Boeing to build a helicopter for the U.S. Army’s Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator Phase 1 program.
The Army’s Aviation Technology Directorate selected the Sikorsky-Boeing team to continue the development of the SB>1 Defiant, a medium-lift helicopter configured to Sikorsky’s X2™ coaxial design, through flight testing. First flight for the program is expected in 2017. Sikorsky operates
“Defiant will use Sikorsky’s proven X2 technology to overcome aircraft design challenges, which will be critical requirements on future vertical lift aircraft,” said Mick Maurer, Sikorsky president.
“The Sikorsky-Boeing team’s integrated approach has created a unique blend of expertise, innovative spirit and customer commitment that are unmatched in the industry. The complementary capabilities of each team member have delivered a design that will provide the best future vertical lift solution to the U.S. Army, and the flexibility of our design makes it suited for naval applications as well. This is a major leap forward.”
To date, Sikorsky and Boeing have collaborated to deliver more than 3,000 helicopters to the Army.
The JMR TD program is supporting the Department of Defense’s Future Vertical Lift program to deliver the next generation of aircraft with greater performance, reliability and affordability. Sikorsky said Defiant packages evolutionary technologies in a new, innovative and affordable design that flies faster, farther and with more pay load. The companies began working together in January 2013, and Sikorsky said each company has invested significantly in the program.
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Top image courtesy of Sikorsky aviationweek.com
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