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The U.S. Army Aviation Technology Directorate
(AATD) 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.
“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.”
The Defiant aircraft will feature counter-rotating
rigid main rotor blades for vertical and forward
flight, a pusher propeller for high-speed acceleration
and deceleration and an advanced fly-by-wire flight
control system.
“Our team brings leadership and new ways
of thinking to aircraft development,” said
Shelley Lavender, President of Boeing Military
Aircraft. “As the original equipment manufacturers
for both the Black Hawk and Apache helicopters,
we bring tremendous technological breadth and
depth to the customer. I believe our technical
capabilities and experience in development and
flight testing of complex rotorcraft systems were
a key factor in the customer’s decision.”
To date, Sikorsky and Boeing collectively have
delivered more than 3,000 helicopters to the U.S.
Army in support of its challenging missions.
The JMR TD program supports the Department of
Defense’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program
to deliver the next generation of vertical lift
aircraft with greater performance, reliability
and affordability. The Defiant aircraft packages
evolutionary technologies in a new, innovative
and affordable design that flies faster, farther
and with more payload.
The JMR TD Program offers Sikorsky and Boeing
the opportunity to partner with the U.S. Government
in demonstrating the maturity of advanced and
enabling future vertical lift technologies. Sikorsky
and Boeing formed their JMR team in January 2013,
and each company has invested significantly in
the program.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford,
Connecticut, is a world leader in aircraft design,
manufacture and service. United Technologies Corp.,
based in Hartford, Connecticut, provides high-technology
products and support services to the aerospace
and building systems industries.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense,
Space & Security is one of the world's largest
defense, space and security businesses specializing
in innovative and capabilities-driven customer
solutions, and the world’s largest and most
versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered
in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security
is a $33 billion business with 56,000 employees
worldwide.
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