Originally Posted by
SplineDrive
What happens to Boeing Vertol is a good question, though I imagine they can make consistent money off supporting the AH-64 and CH-47 fleets for another generation and perhaps they have something cooking for whatever the heavy end of FVL becomes. I think your point is that not winning SB>1 hurts their ability to develop new products, but I’d argue that damage was done generations ago. The last clean sheet aircraft they developed all on their own was YUH-61 and even that had licensed MBB tech in the rotor system. BV is an agglomeration of other people’s old product support lines, not a full fat VTOL OEM.
Picking a nit: What's in a name?
The name "Boeing Vertol" technically is no longer current. When Boeing bought the Vertol Company (which was formerly Piasecki) in 1960, they named the new Division "Boeing Vertol", or sometimes "Boeing Aircraft Company, Vertol Division" Then they changed it to "Boeing Helicopters" and then "Boeing Rotorcraft Systems". In 2002 it became the much more impressive sounding "Vertical Lift Division Boeing Defense, Space and Security". Of course, just to sow confusion, it still sometimes uses the older names. Image over substance?
Endorsing SplineDrive's note, Boeing-whatever has
never put a helicopter of its own design into production. In fact, the four YUH-61/Model 179s it built were the
only helos of its own design that ever even flew.
Been away for a bit. As might be inferred, I have a significantly different take on the A-12 than CTR (with whom I often agree). For example, the head of Lockheed's Skunk Works, said that the ATA specs and contract were so much trouble that Lockheed wanted no part of it and never attempted to get involved. When the much better A-X (renamed to) A/F-X program was launched, though, they were much more amenable and partnered on multiple teams. Since going on with that subject is s off topic, are people on this Forum interested?