It does seem slow, however unlike the V-280 that has four previous tiltrotors to call on, to include almost a decade of operational experience in combat (MV/CV-22), the SB>1 has XH-59 and S-97, neither of which is near the size and no operational experience to draw on. It is much more of a "new" design than is the V-280.
www.janes.com
Bell at least can point to V-22 as an example of a folding tilt-rotor which can fit into a fairly compact space, and possibly they've learned enough to make the packaging work a little better in a new generation design. Sikorsky-LM can't really cite any similar precedent, they either have to bring clean-sheet solutions to their mast height, rigid rotor, and tail length challenges or bid a lower-performance design which has an easier time folding into a DDG. That's not to say the USN will automatically embrace a folding tilt-rotor or otherwise favor Bell's bid out of the gate, of course.
verticalmag.com
I am out of my element here but I think the previous occupant of the FFG and DDG hangar space was the Kaman Sea Sprite. There may have been two in the space(s) don't recall. I also believe that the USN took on H-60 in the same way as the F-4 Phantom became a multi-service aircraft; to paraphrase Henry Ford - "You can have any helicopter you want, as long as it is an H-60." Obviously space is a precious commodity on any ship as it drives expense. I can't imagine the black shoe Navy wanting to give more space up for a larger air platform, especially since it would require extensive modification for the entire fleet. The H-60 could be made to fit existing spaces, it was in production and the USN could get a great price per aircraft, because they would then jam it full of expensive electronic gear.
That said the bit about wanting a FVL - Maritime Strike might make it different as the USN looks for improved ways to fight.
More info:
Navy launches FVL Maritime Strike replacement for MH-60 Seahawk
The U.S. Navy is rafting up to the Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) game, launching an official search for successors to the MH-60R/S Seahawk and MQ-8 Fire Scout.
So space for helo's will always be a premium on DDG and FFG. I remain skeptical that the "black shoes" are going to redesign their ships, to surrender even more space for the fly guys. Empty space is still expensive I imagine.I am out of my element here but I think the previous occupant of the FFG and DDG hangar space was the Kaman Sea Sprite. There may have been two in the space(s) don't recall. I also believe that the USN took on H-60 in the same way as the F-4 Phantom became a multi-service aircraft; to paraphrase Henry Ford - "You can have any helicopter you want, as long as it is an H-60." Obviously space is a precious commodity on any ship as it drives expense. I can't imagine the black shoe Navy wanting to give more space up for a larger air platform, especially since it would require extensive modification for the entire fleet. The H-60 could be made to fit existing spaces, it was in production and the USN could get a great price per aircraft, because they would then jam it full of expensive electronic gear.
That said the bit about wanting a FVL - Maritime Strike might make it different as the USN looks for improved ways to fight.
More info:
Navy launches FVL Maritime Strike replacement for MH-60 Seahawk
The U.S. Navy is rafting up to the Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) game, launching an official search for successors to the MH-60R/S Seahawk and MQ-8 Fire Scout.
The SH-60 required a fair bit more space than the SH-2. Some ships, like the FFGs, were built with the extra margins, but others, like early Spruances, required modifications. (The Spruances were built to take 2 SH-2 or one SH-3. When SH-60 came in, some ships were only able to handle one helo, while later ones had an expanded hangar that could hold two). And others still, like the Knoxes, didn't have room and soldiered on with Sea Sprite until the end. The Knox had been designed around a couple of even smaller DASH drones and fitting Sea Sprite at all was challenging.
Again, what appears not to being emphasized is the modularity required, which is killing the 60s as weight goes up and range goes down..Defensive DEW, anti-Manpad missiles, evolving EW suites, shot locators, LIDARs, LADARs, LZ threat detection tech etc...Is there Multi-mode AESA antennas and where, What is the difference between SOCOM and conventional. Should there be?
Redesigning/refitting existing ships has happened and could happen again if the USN feels the benefits are worth the cost. That said, no SH-60 replacement is likely to replace the Seahawk across the fleet overnight and it's certainly possible the legacy aircraft would hang around until hulls unable to support the replacement leave the fleet. Future combatants are likely to have larger/more flexible aviation spaces regardless of the direction FVL-MS takes. DDG-1000 only has one door but has a large and flexible hangar inside, the LCS classes both have large hangars for their size, and Fincantieri renders for FFG-62 show a very wide door.So space for helo's will always be a premium on DDG and FFG. I remain skeptical that the "black shoes" are going to redesign their ships, to surrender even more space for the fly guys. Empty space is still expensive I imagine.I am out of my element here but I think the previous occupant of the FFG and DDG hangar space was the Kaman Sea Sprite. There may have been two in the space(s) don't recall. I also believe that the USN took on H-60 in the same way as the F-4 Phantom became a multi-service aircraft; to paraphrase Henry Ford - "You can have any helicopter you want, as long as it is an H-60." Obviously space is a precious commodity on any ship as it drives expense. I can't imagine the black shoe Navy wanting to give more space up for a larger air platform, especially since it would require extensive modification for the entire fleet. The H-60 could be made to fit existing spaces, it was in production and the USN could get a great price per aircraft, because they would then jam it full of expensive electronic gear.
That said the bit about wanting a FVL - Maritime Strike might make it different as the USN looks for improved ways to fight.
More info:
Navy launches FVL Maritime Strike replacement for MH-60 Seahawk
The U.S. Navy is rafting up to the Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) game, launching an official search for successors to the MH-60R/S Seahawk and MQ-8 Fire Scout.
The SH-60 required a fair bit more space than the SH-2. Some ships, like the FFGs, were built with the extra margins, but others, like early Spruances, required modifications. (The Spruances were built to take 2 SH-2 or one SH-3. When SH-60 came in, some ships were only able to handle one helo, while later ones had an expanded hangar that could hold two). And others still, like the Knoxes, didn't have room and soldiered on with Sea Sprite until the end. The Knox had been designed around a couple of even smaller DASH drones and fitting Sea Sprite at all was challenging.
The cats, don't forget the cats...
The Navy should really look into a (hybrid E)VTOL option. There is no need of high and hot hover performance, imo only the bare minimum vertical performance for getting on and off ships is needed.FVL MS (Maritime Strike), the Navy folder:
US Navy launches Future Vertical Lift effort
The US Navy (USN) has launched an analysis of alternatives (AoA) for a future maritime rotorcraft, known as Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Maritime Strike (MS).
www.defensenews.com
www.courant.com
www.defensenews.com
The Army has a truism: Perception is reality. The Bell Team has met all of the parameters and then done other things while the competition has yet to met many of the initial parameters. It would have been a more effective commercial if the guy had just looked at the camera and shrugged. Saying "Army has to make a decision next year, our s**t works. How 'bout you other guy?" It won't be engineers making the decisions next year.
so Bell will win
www.ainonline.com
www.army.mil
My money would be on Bell's V-280 and Sikorsky's FARA.
Whatever way it goes, I cannot see one of the primes winning both efforts.
