A Guide To U.S. Military Helicopter Modernization

Bell’s 280-kt. V-280 Valor advanced tiltrotor first flew on Dec. 18, 2017, under the U.S. Army’s Joint Multi-Role (JMR) technology demonstration. JMR is the precursor to the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) requirement—also known as Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Medium or Capability Set 3 (CS3)—to replace Army UH-60 and Special Operations Command MH-60 Black Hawks as well as Marine Corps UH-1Y Venoms beginning in the mid-2030s.

Sikorsky and Boeing’s 250-kt. SB-1 Defiant lift-offset coaxial-rotor compound helicopter is planned to fly by year-end under the Army’s JMR technology demonstration. 

AVX Aircraft Co. completed wind-tunnel tests of its ducted-fan Coaxial Compound Helicopter (CCH) concept under the JMR technology demonstration, but the company switched its focus from the medium-utility FVL CS3 to the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) requirement—also known as FVL Light or CS1—for an armed scout.

Under the U.S. Army’s JMR technology demonstration, Karem is funded to conduct a tie-down ground test of the two-speed gearbox and 36-ft.-dia. rigid rotor for its Optimum Speed Tilt Rotor (OSTR) concept for FVL CS3. Karem has completed ground tests of a fully integrated hub, which incorporates individual blade control.

The U.S. Army has launched the FARA Competitive Prototyping effort to conduct a flyoff in 2023 between two rival armed scout rotorcraft. Sikorsky is offering its S-97 Raider lift-offset coaxial-rotor compound helicopter (pictured), which has exceeded 200 kt. in flight tests. The flyoff will lead to a decision whether to launch development of FARA in 2024 to take over from AH-64E Apaches now used in the scout role as well as U.S. Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphins.

The U.S. Navy is “in the very early stages of requirements definition” for a replacement for both the Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopter and Northrop Grumman MQ-8B/C unmanned aircraft. This warship-compatible rotorcraft would come under FVL CS2. Without service-life extension programs now in the planning stages, the MH-60S would need replacing beginning in the mid-2020s and the MH-60R in the mid-2030s, although they are expected to operate into the 2040s. “We are in the process of analyzing what it might take to produce a replacement,” the Navy says.

Development of the improved Block 2 version of the Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter for the U.S. Army is underway, with a ground-test vehicle planned to run in spring 2019 ahead of first flight next year. The first of three CH-47Fs to be converted to Block 2 prototypes entered assembly at the end of June. The Block 2 upgrade is planned to restore the Chinook’s lifting capacity and includes new rotor blades, improved hubs, uprated transmissions, new electrical and fuel systems, airframe modifications and updated flight controls and cockpit avionics.