Bell 360 Invictus

[chopper2004]

Bell unveils new 360 Invictus for US Army FARA competition


VERSATILE. LETHAL. SUSTAINABLE. BELL ANNOUNCES 360 INVICTUS FOR U.S. ARMY FARA COMPETITION - Bell (news) (http://news.bellflight.com/en-US/182601-versatile-lethal-sustainable-bell-announces-360-invictus-for-u-s-army-fara-competition)

[sandiego89]

The wing is interesting, and noted some Comanche like bits on there.

[chopper2004]

Go ahead to continue in the FARA competition and to build prototype

BELL 360 INVICTUS CHOSEN TO CONTINUE IN U.S. ARMY?S NEW SCOUT ROTORCRAFT COMPETITION - Bell (news) (http://news.bellflight.com/en-US/187414-bell-360-invictus-chosen-to-continue-in-u-s-army-s-new-scout-rotorcraft-competition)

cheers

[Lonewolf_50]

Read a neat little article earlier today about how the Bell V-280 is the most likely to win the lift and Raider the attack since both represent advances in tech ... not sure if that's true, but the "big picture" logic makes sense to me in terms of keeping both OEM's as going concerns ... the Defense Industrial Base must be maintained ...

[Commando Cody]

Read a neat little article earlier today about how the Bell V-280 is the most likely to win the lift and Raider the attack since both represent advances in tech ... not sure if that's true, but the "big picture" logic makes sense to me in terms of keeping both OEM's as going concerns ... the Defense Industrial Base must be maintained ...

Lots of people have been saying that for a while, but mostly the reason seems to "just because". In the case of FLRAA, the V-280 has so outperformed the SB>1, that at this point it would be a serious shock if he Valor didn't win. Keep in mind, though, that with the Army's glacial plan there's going to be a couple more rears of paper studies before any actual flyoff, which will benefit Sikorsky much more than Bell, since it won't be based on anything actually flying and will give them time to try and catch up, if they can mature the technology'. After this paper phase will be a couple more years of "competition", before an actual decision gets made, which gives Sikorsky more time. This, folks, is how you turn a program that could have an operational vehicle in 2025 into one that will take until 2030.

Regarding FARA, Bell and Sikorsky are pursuing two very different strategies. Bell is emphasizing a design that is an advanced version of current technology. They're planning to meet Army's requirements while offering low relative risk and (presumably) lower cost. Sikorsky is going for higher performance and capability, but clearly is more risky given that it's new technology and X2's troublesome record so far. They offer the potential for higher speed and range and a small (i.e. not as big as AVX's) troop compartment presumably at a higher cost. Of course, the ability to carry troops has not been a requirement so far and the selection of Bell as one of the two finalists indicates it still isn't. It will all depend on how they weight the final evaluations. Low risk overall or X2 encounters serious delays or problems? Bell wins. Lowest cost transcends everything? Bell wins. X2 does well, isn't dramatically more expensive and the cabin is worth it to Army? Sikorsky wins.

...and of course there is the industrial base consideration in both programs, but note that FARA is nominally to be selected before FLRAA. If Sikorsky gets that, that would argue for Bell for FLRAA in addition to its performance . And we can't forget the power of lobbyists.

[Evalu8ter]

Lonewolf - is this the article you refer to? Seems to tally with CC’s thoughts too.....

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulkennard/2020/03/26/two-from-fivebell-and-sikorsky-down-selected-to-produce-flying-prototypes-for-the-us-army-fara-competition/#578e1c4b2687

[chevvron]

The wing is interesting, and noted some Comanche like bits on there.
The wing is a direct copy of the Sikorsky S67 Blackhawk which was built as a private project and offered to the US Army in the early '70s, the sole prototype being destroyed at Farnborough on 1 Sep 1974.

[Commando Cody]

The wing is a direct copy of the Sikorsky S67 Blackhawk which was built as a private project and offered to the US Army in the early '70s, the sole prototype being destroyed at Farnborough on 1 Sep 1974.


I dunno. The Blackhawk's wing was larger, had a pronounced dihedral and was mounted at the bottom of the fuselage. The Iinvictus' wing is smaller, has no dihedral, appears to be less swept and is mounted mid fuselage.

Also, the Invictus' wing has no speedbrakes, while that was a key point of the Blackhawk wing design.








https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/500x643/s_67_3vwclr_97a609627ab58062ddbf386e04a28cdb4f00d23e.gif
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/774x387/invictus2_8825fc65a58acaf55d73e67f767dd4056c3e0146.png

[chevvron]

Sad to say, I witnessed the crash from close quarters in the control tower, my first Farnborough having been posted there a few months previously.

[chopper2004]

Bell started building the Invictus prototype last week


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1202x1079/241fd6c1_8546_4ace_b24c_b60e32172baa_19a966bb9d421a51e197db6 8554d676c3e4f9eba.jpeg

[chopper2004]

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/pop-out-seating-kit-for-bell-360-invictus-helicopter-patented?fbclid=IwAR1F2nc4aPmTc84lz17vFt6sakjMT-mT4o5FTE_PpDRmhIjN3bAG9ZcjlFU

https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2023/09/28/Bell-360-seating-kit.jpg?auto=webp&crop=16%3A9&auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=1440
cheers

[Doors Off]

That looks like a fantastic idea as an emergency extraction/insertion kit. Wonder what the changeover time and paperwork sign off would be? Litter kit as well. Great to see that this is being thought of straight up.

[DIBO]

with such as nice wing.... this looks like a better solution (@ 1:16 into the clip .... timestamp in URL seems not to working) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhP_9bFQvjg&list=PLZbXA4lyCtqpkr_9iVLC3CLFtHPjftKzM&t=76s

hat, coat,...

[megan]

Didn't end well DIBO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n82nN_lqn58

[PPRuNeUser0211]

That looks like a fantastic idea as an emergency extraction/insertion kit. Wonder what the changeover time and paperwork sign off would be? Litter kit as well. Great to see that this is being thought of straight up.

Does rather feel like if you've got time to change your role fit to replace your weapon loadout with Gucci popout seats, you've probably got time to call a Blackhawk/v-280/Chinook to do the whole seat thing. Generally when people use AH to move people it's a right here, right now or it all goes badly type thing.

[Evalu8ter]

Let's be honest, somebody at Bell has finally realised that every 'Scout' the US Army has owned has had the ability to rapidly reconfigure to be a light transport/liaison aircraft and 'Colonel's Taxi'. The Raider X has a clear advantage in this area, so Bell have had to come up with this compromise….

[Doors Off]

Does rather feel like if you've got time to change your role fit to replace your weapon loadout with Gucci popout seats, you've probably got time to call a Blackhawk/v-280/Chinook to do the whole seat thing. Generally when people use AH to move people it's a right here, right now or it all goes badly type thing.
Practically, no doubt, you are correct. But knowing how much easier it is for Attack/Scout to operate forward, what a great idea. Without doubt, it will be cancelled/refused by some Shnorker Troop lift pumper. The platforms you mention, without doubt, are far more suited to deliberate lift. That said, inserting/extracting small teams with a non expected platform has stood the test of time.

[chopper2004]

https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/232091-bell-installs-t901-improved-turbine-engine?fbclid=IwAR04C4g4C_R-PH4h6HiXIZSazSPkCoZ1aRVZ2MIhFW4AryVp_KpXKGEcI3Y

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1000x667/bell_360_invictus_engine_installed_1_f38660972c13ddd3db485f7 fd98eb5f3794fc395.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1000x667/bell_360_invictus_engine_installed_73d22b04db4d36fba7425d34c 8efc0f507b6bd54.jpg

cheers

[rattman]

Practically, no doubt, you are correct. But knowing how much easier it is for Attack/Scout to operate forward, what a great idea. Without doubt, it will be cancelled/refused by some Shnorker Troop lift pumper. The platforms you mention, without doubt, are far more suited to deliberate lift. That said, inserting/extracting small teams with a non expected platform has stood the test of time.


Maybe the plan is to use it like little birds, Come in drop of the guys and use it to support with its chaingun

[Lonewolf_50]

https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/232091-bell-installs-t901-improved-turbine-engine?fbclid=IwAR04C4g4C_R-PH4h6HiXIZSazSPkCoZ1aRVZ2MIhFW4AryVp_KpXKGEcI3Y

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1000x667/bell_360_invictus_engine_installed_1_f38660972c13ddd3db485f7 fd98eb5f3794fc395.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1000x667/bell_360_invictus_engine_installed_73d22b04db4d36fba7425d34c 8efc0f507b6bd54.jpg

cheers At first glance, I thought it was a T 700.
Thanks for the pix, chopper!

[son of brommers]

Not sure why they never stuck with this, it worked in the 80's;):
https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-4giu3zo8qv/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/648/1966/4905083063521_pkg-500x400__62712.1654956733.jpg?c=1