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Old 11th Apr 2013, 00:25
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riff_raff
 
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This is Bell's JMR/FVL medium concept. Sikorsky and Bell are the two most likely candidates for JMR flight demo contracts (a Sikorsky compound and a Bell tiltrotor). Sikorsky and Bell have the most experience with their respective configurations which gives them a big advantage over their JMR competition in terms of development risk.

While the Bell V-280 fuselage does bear some resemblance externally to the Blackhawk, there actually is a valid reason for Bell doing this. The FVL medium is intended to replace the US Army Blackhawks, and it's well known that the US Army is very conservative when it comes to adopting new aircraft. By giving their V-280 fuselage a similar appearance to the Blackhawk I think they are trying to create a sense of familiarity with the Army, and thus a reduced perception of development risk.

Another thing that shows Bell is serious about minimizing development risks, whether perceived or real, is the V-280's use of a non-tilting engine. While this approach makes the drivetrain design a bit more complex, it also means that they won't have the added cost and risk involved to develop and certify a new turboshaft engine model that can tilt.

I personally think the Army would be better off with a tiltrotor for FVL. While a compound would be a bit less risky, the tiltrotor has more potential for future improvements in terms of speed, payload, range, etc.
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