Fighter Sweep
  • Home
  • Military Aviation
  • Air Force
  • Navy
  • Spec Ops
  • Expert Analysis
  • Careers
  • Photos
Home Previous Post Next Post
Follow @fightersweep

Watch: The first flight of what could be the US military’s future long-range assault aircraft

March 27, 2019
Alex Hollings 1 Comment Military Aviation, News

The Sikorsky-Boeing joint helicopter initiative known as the SB-1 Defiant made its first flight last week, gingerly leaving the ground and hovering around the airfield at a Sikorsky facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. This test comes more than 15 months after the helicopter’s competition for the Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft contract, the Bell V-280 Valor, first took to the skies, but Boeing and Sikorsky are confident their aircraft was worth the wait.

“Today’s flight was a tremendous success and a culmination of a lot of work by the men and women of the Sikorsky-Boeing DEFIANT team,” the joint venture announced in a press release. “So much credit goes to their tireless efforts to get us to where we are today.”

The flight lasted around 30 minutes and didn’t include any particularly daring maneuvers, but marked an important developmental step for the prototype aircraft that leans heavily on Sikorsky’s Advancing Blade Concept rotor design. The idea is to use two stacked rotors that spin in opposing directions to produce lift, with a pusher-propeller to add thrust at high speeds. The Defiant prototype that flew last week is only the fourth aircraft Sikorsky has fitted with such a means of propulsion.

“At the end of the day, this was never about how quickly we got to the first flight, but rather about providing the U.S. Army with the necessary, robust and relevant data that will enable them to make fully informed decisions as they pursue the Future Vertical Lift program and we’re doing that,” they stated.

The dual-rotor approach, Boeing and Sikorsky believe, will grant this new helicopter superior speed when compared to previous helicopter designs, as well as a far greater operational range and maneuverability. Their primary competitor, the Bell V-280 Valor, relies instead on the proven tilt-rotor technology utilized in platforms like the V-22 Osprey to grant the platform superior speed over previous helicopters in service. The V-280 has been racking up flight hours since first taking to the skies more than 15 months ago. It recently hit a milestone of achieving an impressive 280 knots (about 320 miles per hour) in a test flight.

Nonetheless, Sikorsky seems undaunted.

“Defiant is designed to fly at nearly twice the speed and has twice the range of conventional helicopters while retaining the very best, if not better, low-speed and hover performance of conventional helicopters,” Dan Spoor, a Sikorsky vice president, said in a statement.

About the Author

Alex Hollings Alex Hollings writes on a breadth of subjects ranging from fitness to foreign policy, all presented through the lens of his experiences as a U.S. Marine, athlete and scholar. A football player, rugby player and fighter, Hollings has spent the better part of his adult life competing in some of the most physically demanding sports on the planet. Hollings possesses a master's degree in communications from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as a bachelor's degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications from Framingham State University.

Related Posts

  • Watch: Incredible footage of helicopter pilot putting rotor within inches of a mountain to rescue skier in the AlpsWatch: Incredible footage of helicopter pilot putting rotor within inches of a mountain to rescue skier in the Alps
  • Watch: New footage shows the agility of America’s Apache helicoptersWatch: New footage shows the agility of America’s Apache helicopters
  • Watch: Russian special operators ride unusual tactical platform under helicopter over MoscowWatch: Russian special operators ride unusual tactical platform under helicopter over Moscow
  • Watch: 360 degree video shows what it’s like to hitch a ride dangling under a BlackhawkWatch: 360 degree video shows what it’s like to hitch a ride dangling under a Blackhawk
  • Watch: This stunt plane’s laser and fireworks light show has to be seen to be believedWatch: This stunt plane’s laser and fireworks light show has to be seen to be believed

Find Us on Facebook

FighterSweep.com

Sign Up
for the Newsletter

What’s Hot

  • November 18, 2018

    Test pilots in Spain join the Marines' measuring contest by drawing 'dick in a box' with flight

  • March 14, 2015

    There I Was: The X-Files Edition

  • September 20, 2019

    From the Cockpit: Into Hell's Mouth

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Twitter

Recent Comments

  • Vicki Fast forward to 2019 where there are dozens of class action lawsuits against [...]
  • Paul James Thanks Vicki
  • Skyler Conklin Not according to those who have actually operated it.
  • Jimmy Crackcorn he was likely chasing Jupiter, as UFOs that don't wish to be seen will turn off [...]

© Copyright 2021 SOFREP Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers