Bell V-280 Valor

[GTX]

So you are refusing to answer the question? Are you saying that the Yemen incident was the result of the radar cross section of the MV-22 involved?

 

[GTX]

Sounds like alotta Texas spin (from a particular city in fact) pardon the pun.

Huh??

No 'Senior Citizen' proposal included an open prop design.

And that has what to do with this?

 

[jsport]

Sounds like alotta Texas spin (from a particular city in fact) pardon the pun.

Huh??

No 'Senior Citizen' proposal included an open prop design.

And that has what to do with this?

No 'Senior Citizen' proposal included an open prop design. Closed prop SOF trans is again basic.
enough already.

repeat

 

[GTX]

 

[Triton]

Looks like we missed this article from May 2016.

"SAS: 2016: Bell unveils V-280 Valor naval variant"
by Nathan Gain

Source:
http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/naval-exhibitions/sea-air-space-2016/4002-sas-2016-bell-started-preliminary-work-on-v-280-valor-naval-variant.html

As Bell Helicopter is moving forward with the Osprey integration in the US Navy under the Carrier Onboard Delivery program, the Fort-Worth-based rotorcraft manufacturer started preliminary studies on a naval variants of its future V-280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft. Navy Recognition learned during Sea-Air-Space 2016. A company representative stressed that no Navy requirements have been issued yet however.

A modular platform, the naval version of the Valor will be able to perform wide range of missions: anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, airborne mine warfare, utility and logistic missions, personnel recovery, counter fast attack craft and fast inshore attack craft. But according to Bell Helicopter, the Valor naval variant will come in two different versions : one operating from the DDG vessels and one utility variant for the CVN.

The DDG variant will be shortened by a few inches in order to allow the helicopter to fit in destroyer's hangar. This version will have an external payload capability of 8,000 lbs and will accomodate up to eight fully-equiped troops. The DDG compatible V-280 will have an operational radius of up to 2100 nm thanks to inflight refuelling capability.

The CVN compatible variant will keep the same airframe than the US Army and will be primarly dedicated to utility and logistic missions. Cargo hooks will give it a lift capacity to carry a 10,500 lb, while the cabin will carry up to 12 troops.

Both variants will be designed for a cruising speed of 520 km/h and a 25,000 ft maximum ceiling.

The Bell V-280 Valor is a third-generation tilt-rotor concept being developed by Bell Helicopter and several industrial partners for the United States Army's Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program. In June 2015, Bell Helicopter's subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems began assembly of the composite fuselage for the first prototype V-280 Valor, which was delivered in September 2015.

 

[fredymac]

Latest art work and prototype. The prototype is a little inconsistent with the art work. I would guess the art work would be more likely to resemble the final layout. Not sure what that box in front of the landing gear is. Flare/active protection dispenser?

 

[Sundog]

That isn't a box in front of the landing gear, it's an aerodynamic stub to house the main landing gear. It would appear they dropped the highly complicated landing gear shown in the concepts for a simpler more robust design.

 

[Dragon029]

I think he's talking about the small box in front of the MLG, in the artwork - that box is indeed a chaff / flare dispenser; in the bottom artwork (where it's unloading troops on the ground), you can zoom in and see a stencilled warning about it being an AN/ALE-47.

 

[fredymac]

When you click the picture, you will see icons appear along the top. One is an "enlarge box" icon. If you click it, the picture grows very large and you can pan around to look at details.

 

[fredymac]

Thought I would add the link to the helicopter active protection post.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,23854.msg242970.html#msg242970

 

[yasotay]

And then there was the stealth version.
It does not appear to have forward facing dispensers. B)

 

[bobbymike]

http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1700527-can-the-army-s-future-helicopter-be-stealthy

 

[yasotay]

It is real now, not just PowerPoint.

https://theaviationist.com/page/2/

 

[Deino]

 

[sferrin]

I wonder how the complexity of the rotor pivot compares to that of the V-22.

 

[yasotay]

Likely traded engine simplicity for rotational complexity. Can't say I am particular to all that "kit" hanging out in the elements. Of course it is only a demonstrator.

 

[sferrin]

Likely traded engine simplicity for rotational complexity. Can't say I am particular to all that "kit" hanging out in the elements. Of course it is only a demonstrator.

On the V-22 you'd have data, electrical, fuel, and maybe oil & hydraulic, that needed to traverse the pivot but in the new design you'd have to add a drive shaft that can change position to the mix.

 

[TomcatViP]

it's way more simple.

The spiral [helicoidal] bevel gear ensure that only a minimal portion of the drive system rotates. The drive shaft that connect both engine is static and its position can be arranged during the design to be at the most suited position. The absence of rotations of the entire engine facilitate the conception and preventive maintenance, lowering the overall cost and weight while increasing safety. Engine nacelles can be made more compact (no need for balancing weights). Think that for example your oil pipe network is mostly static. If you need to get electrical power out of those engines, it became even more easy and efficient by reducing the amount of mass that have to be rotated. etc... etc...

I will not be surprised if one day, Bell offer an upgrade to the 22 that brings it to a similar concept.

 

[sferrin]

it's way more simple.

The spiral [helicoidal] bevel gear ensure that only a minimal portion of the drive system rotates. The drive shaft that connect both engine is static and its position can be arranged during the design to be at the most suited position. The absence of rotations of the entire engine facilitate the conception and preventive maintenance, lowering the overall cost and weight while increasing safety. Engine nacelles can be made more compact (no need for balancing weights). Think that for example your oil pipe network is mostly static. If you need to get electrical power out of those engines, it became even more easy and efficient by reducing the amount of mass that have to be rotated. etc... etc...

I will not be surprised if one day, Bell offer an upgrade to the 22 that brings it to a similar concept.

Does the V-280 do away with swashplates?

 

[bring_it_on]

Courtesy James Drew

 

[Moose]

I will not be surprised if one day, Bell offer an upgrade to the 22 that brings it to a similar concept.

Yeah seeing some of what's being said lately about future V-22 development, and given the exhaust heat issues of the Osprey, I won't be thoroughly shocked if a fixed-nacelle version is offered.

 

[yasotay]

I will not be surprised if one day, Bell offer an upgrade to the 22 that brings it to a similar concept.

Yeah seeing some of what's being said lately about future V-22 development, and given the exhaust heat issues of the Osprey, I won't be thoroughly shocked if a fixed-nacelle version is offered.

Timely...

http://scout.com/military/warrior/Article/Marine-Corps-Plans-Weapons-Tech-for-Osprey-beyond-2030-107013002

 

[Triton]

Source:
http://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-first-images-of-the-armys-new-futuristic-helicopter-2017-9

 

[Boxman]

Source:
http://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-first-images-of-the-armys-new-futuristic-helicopter-2017-9

Interesting to see Bell has obscured/blacked-out in the released photos the inner bits exposed by the prop-rotor in the vertical position, as shown by the photo (presumably taken "over the fence") posted by Deino earlier in the thread (https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,19036.msg313559.html#msg313559).

 

[sferrin]

Source:
http://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-first-images-of-the-armys-new-futuristic-helicopter-2017-9

Interesting to see Bell has obscured/blacked-out in the released photos the inner bits exposed by the prop-rotor in the vertical position, as shown by the photo (presumably taken "over the fence") posted by Deino earlier in the thread (https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,19036.msg313559.html#msg313559).

Given they released the picture at the bottom of the page you link to the horse it out of the barn. A little tweaking should bring out the details in those areas.

 

[yasotay]

I seriously doubt Bell was happy to have those pictures out and about. One does not like to show any card, before its time in high stakes poker.

 

[bobbymike]

https://breakingdefense.com/2017/09/kill-army-helo-upgrades-build-super-chopper-bell-v-280-exec/

 

[AeroFranz]

"To pay for the earlier start, Bell program manager Chris Gehler told reporters here yesterday, the Army should cancel its $10 billion Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), which aims to boost existing helicopters’ power by 50 percent and reallocate the money to the all-new FVL."

I guess if you're trying to sell as many of your own platforms as possible, there is no better way than to expedite the obsolescence of the incumbent vehicles - especially if they're built by a competitor! :

 

[Flyaway]

https://breakingdefense.com/2017/10/bell-v-280-revs-rotors-in-first-ground-test/

And from the above article. I noticed they’ve blurred out part of the video around the engines.

https://youtu.be/yl8GdU61OY4

 

[FighterJock]

Interesting to note that unlike the V-22 Osprey the entire engine's of the V-280 Valor do not rotate along with the rotors, any idea as to why Bell came to this design?

 

[yasotay]

Two primary reasons. First they do not have to certify another engine to operate vertically as well as horizontally. This is not a trivial or inexpensive, time consuming effort. Second having half of the engine hanging out in the middle of a gunners zone of fire (it is at least initially an assault platform to replace H-60) is a bad thing. Also having the exhaust pointed at the ground can cause unwanted fires.

There are other reasons from an engineering perspective, but I will let others talk to that.

 

[TomS]

To amplify on point 2, having the engine exhaust pointed aft was necessary to have usable side doors for assault, which Bell believes the Army prefers over a rear ramp. Otherwise, you have troops running straight into an engine exhaust, which is a no-go.

I think it also makes it easier to cross-shaft the engines and simplifies the other connections to the engine (fuel, hydraulics, electronics, etc.) since none of them have to pass through a swivel joint.

 

[yasotay]

Bell has stated that simplification is a key component of the aircraft design.

 

[FighterJock]

Bell has stated that simplification is a key component of the aircraft design.

Hopefully that means less accidents than the V-22 Osprey in the long run.

 

[fredymac]

Hopefully that means less accidents than the V-22 Osprey in the long run.

Pilot error is hard to fix. Some of the early V-22 crashes were not from hardware failures. Ironically, a high performance platform can encourage risky maneuvers. I would not be surprised if another vortex ring type event occurs unless program managers make a point of reigning in experimentation with maximum flight capabilities.

 

[yasotay]

Hopefully that means less accidents than the V-22 Osprey in the long run.

Pilot error is hard to fix. Some of the early V-22 crashes were not from hardware failures. Ironically, a high performance platform can encourage risky maneuvers. I would not be surprised if another vortex ring type event occurs unless program managers make a point of reigning in experimentation with maximum flight capabilities.

Considering that the MV-22 and CV-22 are one of the most active aircraft in the US inventory, the accident rate is commensurate to the number of hours (many in combat) flown. Pilot error is unfortunately still the number one cause across DoD.

On a much brighter note, the V-280 got to 100% RPM this last Saturday. Video will show up soon I imagine.

 

[fredymac]

On a much brighter note, the V-280 got to 100% RPM this last Saturday. Video will show up soon I imagine.

And here you are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPzbJwAITl0

 

[fredymac]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52O2hKzdp-Q

 

[Triton]

V-280 Update At AUSA 2017

Published on Oct 11, 2017
Bell Helicopter talks with Rick Whittle about testing for its new tilt rotor, designed to replace the Army's current utility helicopters. It flies fast and far and has fixed engines so it's got the same footprint as Blackhawk helicopters.

https://youtu.be/X0Jo3UsqRbM

 

[fredymac]

Rotors at full speed and now with audio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of62IVC0Dwc