The promising American tiltrotor has passed two new stages of testing. The device was tested with the Tactical Common Datalink communication channel, and also evaluated its ability to lift loads.
The American company Bell is actively testing the new V-280 Valor tiltrotor, which may in the future replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk multi-purpose helicopter. As it became known, the promising device passed two new stages of testing.
Bell engineers tested the newly installed tactical Common Datalink (TCDL) communication channel on the tiltrotor. In addition, Valor successfully demonstrated the ability to transport cargo suspended under the fuselage.
V-280 Tests / ©Bell
Bell V-280 Valor's rival in the FLRAA competition is the innovative Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant helicopter, which has a coaxial main rotor and is able to develop a speed that is not available for modern helicopters. Recall that not so long ago, Defiant was able to accelerate to a speed of 380 kilometers per hour — and this is far from the limit for a rotorcraft.
SB-1
Image source: wikimedia
As for the V-280, it was able to reach a speed of almost 520 kilometers per hour last year. And Valor performed its very first flight in December 2017.