Bell V-280 Valor is a third-generation tilt-rotor aircraft being developed by Bell Helicopter for the United States Army’s Future Vertical Lift program. And here is the first demonstrator aircraft being readied for its maiden flight.

The V-280 Valor is Bell’s submission for the U.S. Army’s Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) phase, the technology demonstration precursor to Future Vertical Lift (FVL), a replacement for the service’s Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters.

The V-280 will have a crew of 4 (including two pilots) and be capable of transporting up to 14 troops. Its cruising speed will be 280 knots (hence the designation V-280) and its top speed will be 300 kts. It’s designed for a range of 2,100 nautical miles and an effective combat range of 500 to 800 nmi although the Army’s requirements for the demonstrator call for hot and high hover performance (at 6,000 feet and 95 F), and the ability to self-deploy 2,100 nautical miles at a speed of at least 230 knots.

Featuring a triple-redundant flight-by-wire Flight Control System and cutting edge avionics, the first prototype of the next generation helicopter is expected to perform its first flight in the next few months. On Aug. 30, what looks like a 100 percent complete aircraft, sporting the registration N280BH, was spotted at Bell Helicopter Amarillo Assembly Center (where the demonstrator aircraft began ground vibration testing with a 95 percent complete helicopter back in February 2017): the Valor is probably being prepared for engine tests ahead of its maiden flight (planned for Sept. 2017).

The T64-GE-419 engines and gearboxes in the nacelles are clearly visible in the interesting images in this post obtained from a short video filmed by our friend Steve Douglass. Interestingly, unlike the V-22’s engines, that rotate with the gearboxes, in the V-280, the gearbox is the only thing that rotates. According to Bell “The output shaft is connected to the drive system through a spiral bevel gearbox that transfers power to the fixed gearbox and proprotor gearbox, which rotates on two big spherical bearings driven by a conversion actuator mechanism.” The Valor’s tilting gearbox design vastly simplifies the Osprey’s complex hydro-mechanical clockwork required for the tiltrotor action.

N280BH at Amarillo is being prepared for engine tests.

The U.S. Army plans to field distinct platforms: a utility helicopter and an attack helicopter. For this reason, a variant, dubbed AV-280, is expected to carry rocket, missiles and also small UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) forward or aft with no rotor interference.

Noteworthy, also spotted at Bell Helicopter Amarillo Assembly Center recently is the first V-22 Osprey for Japan.

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The First V-22 For Japan Exposed By Photograph Taken At Amarillo During Engine Tests.

The first of 17 V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is about to perform its maiden flight from Bell Helicopter Amarillo Assembly Center, Texas.

The photo above, showing the first Japanese V-22, the very first Osprey for a military outside of the U.S., was taken at Amarillo by Paul Lawrence Braymen on Aug. 24, 2017, as the tilt-rotor aircraft, sporting Japan’s camouflage and roundel, performed engine tests ahead of the first flight (expected next week).

The JGSDF will receive the V-22B Block C variant, the same in service with the U.S. Marine Corps as MV-22.

The Osprey will undertake humanitarian and disaster relief capabilities and support amphibious operations increasing also the interoperability with the U.S. forces (both USMC and USAF) which operate the aircraft.

The sale of 17 V-22 Osprey and associated equipment for the JGSDF, split in various orders and worth 3B USD, was eventually announced in 2015 in spite of the criticism that has always surrounded the type’s presence in the skies over Okinawa caused by concerns that the tilt-rotor hybrid aircraft might be prone to crashes.

Image credit: Paul Lawrence Braymen

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Search and rescue operations continue for the missing Marines.

An MV-22 Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit was involved in a mishap off of the east coast of Australia around 4:00 p.m. on Aug. 5, 2017. Twenty-three of 26 personnel aboard have been rescued. Research for the missing Marines is still underway.

The tilt-rotor aircraft involved in the mishap had launched from the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and was conducting regularly scheduled operations when the aircraft entered the water.

According to the U.S. DoD, the ship’s small boats and aircraft immediately responded in the search and rescue efforts.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit has recently completed the biennial Exercise Talisman Saber 2017, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

Featuring 21 warships, including the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, and more than 200 joint aircraft, Talisman Saber 2017 was the seventh iteration of the exercise that focused on training a Combined Task Force of U.S. and Australian forces in a mid-intensity, high-end warfighting scenario, incorporating interagency participation, along with a command post exercise involving a transition between a 3 and 4-star Headquarters. U.S. Pacific Command units and Australian forces conducted live and virtual training exercises in multi domains on sea, land, air, cyber and throughout multiple training areas in and around Australia.

Another MV-22 Osprey was lost earlier this year: in the morning on Jan. 29, 2017, a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft, called in to evacuate American soldiers injured in a fierce firefight with Al Qaeda militants in Yemen, crash landed at Al Bayda, injuring 1 service members.

The damaged Osprey was later destroyed by an air-strike by an F-16.

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Proposed Helicopter Would Replace MH-6/AH-6 Little Bird if Adopted.

Lockheed Martin has released a new promotional video showing the S-97 Raider light tactical helicopter demonstrating many of its unique performance capabilities.

The S-97 Raider, if adopted by the U.S. military, would replace the aging family of MH-6/AH-6 Little Bird helicopters widely used since the Vietnam conflict as special operations and observation/light attack helicopters. The MH-6/AH-6 family first flew in 1963 making it a legacy platform that has been continuously updated for expanded roles. Most airframes in U.S. service are now aging and, because a light tactical helicopter is subjected to high stresses in operational and training use the older aircraft are approaching the end of their structural lifespan.

The new S-97 Raider is a significant technology update over previous light attack/observation helicopters. It uses a mostly carbon fiber composite fuselage like the MV-22 Osprey. The S-97 has much higher performance than the MH-6/AH-6 family, more internal space for up to 6 combat equipped troops, a unique co-axial rotor system and a host of additional technological advancements. Lockheed-Martin is firstly and specifically configuring the S-97 as a replacement of the U.S. Special Operations Command MH-6M Little Bird. The significant difference in top speeds between the MH-6M at only 175 MPH and the new S-97 at 276 MPH is just one example of the massive performance and capability improvement available with Lockheed-Martin’s new platform.

Innovative performance features of the new Lockheed-Martin/Sikorsky S-97 Raider. (LM)

Another key performance enhancement is that the S-97 program has greatly improved “hot, high and heavy” rotary wing performance. Helicopters often struggle with performance at high altitude in hot weather conditions and can become vulnerable to performance problems like “vortex ring state”. Vortex ring state likely contributed to the controlled crash of a highly modified U.S. special operations helicopter, the MH-X Stealth Black Hawk, during the May 2, 2011 raid to apprehend Osama bin Laden, Operation Neptune Spear.

Few years ago The Aviationist pointed out some similarities in the possible shape of the MH-X and the S-97.

The new S-97 has already demonstrated stable, controllable hover capability at 6,000 feet AGL and 95° Fahrenheit. The aircraft has also maneuvered at speed to 3g’s.

The co-axial or contra-rotating main rotors on the S-97 were originally conceived by Russian engineer Mikhail Lomonosov. This design has been proven on Russian designs including the successfully deployed newer Kamov KA-50 and KA-52 attack helicopters and much older designs like the KA-27 family of Kamov helicopters widely used in different versions in both military and commercial roles mostly by the Russians.

Contra-rotating main rotors were first developed and employed by the Russians including this Kamov KA-50 attack. (image credit: Russian Aviation Photography)

Advantages to a co-axial rotor system include equalizing the effects of torque compared to helicopters with one-directional large rotating blades or “rotary wings”. Helicopters with a single large rotor system have a tendency to “pull” or rotate in the direction of the main rotor blades’ rotation. To counteract the rotational force of a single main rotor the smaller tail rotor is mounted sideways as is conventionally seen on helicopters. The tail rotor on the new S-97 Raider is rear-facing, adding more thrust than a conventional sideways mounted rotor and contributing to the S-97’s higher top speed.

The S-97 Raider program was initially started to replace the aging OH-58 Kiowa Warrior observation helicopter under a then-$16 billion U.S. Army acquisition program named “Armed Aerial Scout.”

The program was put on hold prior to the U.S. Presidential election due to budgetary constraints. Sikorsky, the originator of the program, teamed with Lockheed-Martin to continue the program and adjusted the marketing focus to a broader mission set.

Here’s an interesting promotional video of the S-97:

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Watch Marine One And three HMX-1 Ospreys Land On Pre-Commissioning Unit Gerald R. Ford.

On Mar. 2, U.S. President Donald Trump traveled to Virginia’s Newport News Shipbuilding facility to visit pre-commissioning unit USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN78) the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier.

The following video shows the Presidential VH-3D “Marine One” operated by the U.S. Marine Corps HMX-1 (Marine Helicopter Squadron One) along with the grey-painted MV-22 Ospreys (also referred to as “Green Tops”) that fly the White House Staff during the President’s travels, land on USS Ford and take off after the speech during which Trump vowed to launch a “great rebuilding” of American military power.

Interestingly, the Bell-Boeing tilt-rotor aircraft fly also the Secret Service agents that follow “Marine One” (when President of the U.S. travels aboard the VH-3D or any other chopper operated by HMX-1 the helicopter uses the radio callsign “Marine One” by which the aircraft is known) and take care of him or her in case the helicopter goes down due to a failure.

Both the “White Tops” (12x VH-3Ds and 8x VH-60Ns), that usually fly the POTUS and accompanying VIPs at home and abroad as part of the Executive Flight Detachment, and the “Green Tops” (12x MV-22 Ospreys) that fly the supporting staff, are based at Quantico, Virginia, south of Washington DC.

The Executive Flight Detachment actually operates extensively out of an alert facility at Naval Support Facility Anacostia in Washington DC, much closer to the White House than Quantico.

H/T to @juanmab for the heads-up

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