American companies Sikorsky and Boeing have proposed changes to the design of the promising high-speed helicopter SB>1 Defiant. The new version is called Defiant-X.
The Defiant-X received an improved chassis-a steering rack in the nose, which the SB>1 Defiant did not have. This is written by the publication Breaking Defense. According to experts, this will add weight to the helicopter, but it will improve stability when landing, for example, on ground surfaces.
Defiant-X also got rid of the protruding nozzle that SB>1 had under the main rotors in the tail of the helicopter. In the new design, the exhaust gases are diverted in a different way, making the car more invisible to enemy infrared sensors.
The Defiant-X changed the appearance of the nose, which became more pointed, and the streamlined tail section. These design solutions, according to the publication, will improve the controllability of the helicopter.
Whether the new design decisions will affect the speed of the rotorcraft, which is a priority for the army, is not reported.
Svetlana Tsygankova