Tiltrotor to the front
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, displays its full-size mockup of the Bell V-280 VALOR next generation aircraft, as well as the newly introduced Bell V-247 VIGILANT tiltrotor model at the 2017 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit.
“The Army Aviation Summit provides a great venue for engaging with our current and future customers, as well as displaying our products that bring game-changing capabilities to the warfighter,” Vince Tobin, Bell Helicopter’s Vice President of Advanced Tiltrotor Systems, said. “The disruptive technology of tiltrotor flight delivers unmatched efficiency and range unavailable with traditional rotorcraft. We look forward to the discussions and engagements with our military customers on how this aircraft will enable multi-domain battle.”
Throughout the show, Bell Helicopter presents next-level technology, including an immersive virtual reality experience of the Bell V-280 that highlights mission capabilities of the aircraft, and an opportunity to fly the V-280 simulator setup in the booth – showcasing the future of vertical lift, according to the company. In addition, the V-280 mockup is shown in both attack and utility configurations, demonstrating the aircraft’s versatility.
The Bell V-247 tiltrotor is a Group 5 unmanned aerial system (UAS) that will combine the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft. This UAS is designed to provide long-endurance persistent expeditionary and surveillance capability and lethal reach, as well as runway independence to operate successfully in maritime environments and locations without secure runway availability.
For more information please see MILITARY TECHNOLOGY #5/2017, available at the show; and frequently check back for more NEWS FROM THE FLOOR.