HomeNewsAviationSB>1 DEFIANT Helicopter Completes Long-Endurance Flight To Nashville

SB>1 DEFIANT Helicopter Completes Long-Endurance Flight To Nashville

After three years of proving its transformational flight capabilities, the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANTĀ® helicopter arrived in Nashville this week to give U.S. Army Aviators a first-hand look at this impressive aircraft at the Army Aviation Association of Americaā€™s annual summit.

Army aviators at the summit will be able to see how Team DEFIANT is revolutionizing Future Vertical Lift, one of the Armyā€™s top modernization priorities, with a focus on transforming the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft programā€™s capabilities, production and sustainment resulting in lower-life cycle costs. The result isĀ DEFIANT XĀ®Ā a complete weapon system that builds on the handling qualities and capabilities proven by the teamā€™s technology demonstrator, SB>1 DEFIANTĀ®.

ā€œWhen Sikorsky and Boeing embarked on the DEFIANT journey, we were mission focused and thinking ahead to creating a holistic weapon system that would give Americaā€™s Soldiers a strategic advantage to deter and defeat threats well into the 21stĀ century, DEFIANT ensures our aviators are confident and prepared for whatā€™s ahead and gives them the agility to adapt to evolving threats.ā€

Paul Lemmo, Sikorsky President.

Sikorskyā€™s Bill Fell and Boeingā€™s Ed Henderscheid piloted SB>1 DEFIANTā€™s momentous 700-nautical miles trip from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Nashville. This is the first time the helicopter has traveled outside of the state of Florida.

ā€œThis monumental flight further proves the maturity of the DEFIANT design and that it is ready to support the Armyā€™s future long-range assault missions, just as SB>1 DEFIANT flew safely over multiple states from Florida to Tennessee, DEFIANT X will safely fly and meet all of our customerā€™s objectives.ā€

Mark Cherry, Boeing Vice President and General Manager of Vertical Lift.

ā€œOn the trip from West Palm Beach to Nashville, DEFIANT used less than 50 percent of the engine power available and less than 50 percent of the propulsor torque,ā€ Fell said. ā€œThereā€™s a lot more that this machine has to offer. This is the future of Army aviation.ā€

ā€œDEFIANT behaved flawlessly. Fuel burn was at or even less than what we expected,ā€ Henderscheid said. ā€œThis 700-nautical mile trip is the culmination of three years of hard work on this program.ā€

Also this week, Team DEFIANTĀ announced the newest membersĀ of its team:

  • ATI, Cudahy, Wisconsin: gearbox forgings
  • Collins Aerospace, Windsor Locks, Connecticut: PerigonTM flight control and vehicle management computer; and Colorado Springs, Colorado: aircraft seats
  • Elbit Systems of America, Fort Worth, Texas: mission system computer
  • Parker Aerospace, Irvine, California: flight controls; and Kalamazoo, Michigan: hydraulic pumps and modules
  • Magnaghi Aeronautica, Medford, New York: landing gear
  • Marotta Controls, Boonton, New Jersey: electrical power system components

The team previously announced thatĀ HoneywellĀ will provide its new HTS7500 turboshaft engine to power DEFIANT X.

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