Helicopter Flight Testing Demonstrates High Maneuverability

This post is also available in: עברית (Hebrew)

The SB>1 Defiant helicopter successfully completed U.S. Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) mission profile test flights, including confined area landings and low-level flight operations. These flights validate Defiant’s relevancy to the Army’s mission. 

The January 5 test flight of the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing helicopter was conducted to show off the strengths of the Defiant’s design and its ability to meet assigned mission requirements that would make it a suitable replacement for the Black Hawk.

SB>1 Defiant is the technology demonstrator proving out transformational capabilities for the Defiant X weapon system, the Sikorsky-Boeing team offering for the FLRAA competition as part of the Army’s Future Vertical Lift program. 

Defiant X will enable crews to fly low and fast through complex terrain, where Army aviators spend most of their time. It will extend capabilities of Army Aviation on the modern battlefield – and is designed to fit in the same footprint as a Black Hawk. With Defiant X, the U.S. Army will deliver troops and cargo in future combat at twice the range of the current fleet.

Defiant X incorporates Sikorsky X2 Technology to operate at high speeds while maintaining low-speed handling qualities. This critical capability provides pilots with increased maneuverability and survivability in high-threat environments, allowing them to penetrate enemy defenses while reducing exposure to enemy fire, according to Boeing’s announcement.