[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense video] The Latest Advanced Mobility Helicopter Selected by the US Army

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The U.S. Army is pushing to introduce a new helicopter to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk. The versions under development include the 'Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA)' for armed reconnaissance and the 'Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA)' for mobility. Among these, the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft will replace the aging Black Hawk in the future.

Starting from 2030, the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, which will replace the Black Hawk, is characterized by its ability to fly faster and farther than the Black Hawk. In fact, the maximum cruising speed envisioned by the U.S. Army for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft is 520 km/h. This is nearly twice as fast as the Black Hawk’s speed of 280 km/h. The U.S. Army plans to use this high speed to rapidly deploy troops in urgent combat situations and enhance survivability against ground attacks. Additionally, while the Black Hawk can fly approximately 2,200 km, the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft is expected to fly over twice that distance, about 4,520 km.

Currently, the companies competing in the development of this Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft project are the Sikorsky/Boeing team and Bell. The Sikorsky/Boeing team’s model is called the Defiant. It conducted its first flight in March last year, about a year later than Bell’s Valor. Unlike the Valor, the Defiant is a so-called compound helicopter featuring two main rotors rotating in opposite directions and a large pusher propeller located at the rear. This unique design gives it an external appearance similar to a traditional helicopter but allows it to fly at speeds impossible for conventional helicopters. In an actual flight test conducted last January, the Defiant recorded a speed of 555 km/h.

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