Bell 360 Invictus
| Bell 360 Invictus | |
|---|---|
| Role | Reconnaissance and attack helicopter |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Bell Textron |
| Status | Cancelled |
The Bell 360 Invictus was a proposed helicopter design intended to meet the United States Army requirement for a Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA). It is based on technology from the Bell 525 Relentless.[1]
Design and development[edit]
Scott C. Donnelly, CEO of Textron, has said in April 2019 that the Bell 360 will be based on the Bell 525.[1][2] The 360 and 525 will share an articulated rotor system, although the 360, which will only seat two (a pilot and gunner), will use a single engine and a four-blade rotor, whereas the 525 uses twin engines and a five-blade rotor and has a nineteen-passenger capacity.[3] Bell has since announced it is developing the 360 with Collins Aerospace,[4] and the Sierra Nevada Corporation is developing the mission systems for the aircraft.[5]
The design was unveiled on 1 October 2019, showing a two-seat tandem cockpit, with sighting optics and/or laser designator above a 20mm cannon gun turret at the chin position below the cockpit, mid-mounted stub wings below the shrouded rotor hub and four 40 foot (12 m) diameter rotor blades, an active horizontal stabilizer and a tilted and shrouded tail rotor. Missiles are mounted on integrated launchers.[1] The rotor diameter is dictated by US Army requirements, which specified that maximum diameter for FARA candidates to allow the rotorcraft to fit between buildings on future battlefields.[3] Its main engine will be a single General Electric T901 turboshaft engine, with supplemental power from a Pratt & Whitney PW207D1 turboshaft.[6]
The US Army requirement calls for a cruising speed in excess of 180 knots (210 mph; 330 km/h), and the 360 is intended to meet this;[1] the Bell 525 rotor system has been tested to exceed 200 knots (230 mph; 370 km/h).[3] The stub wings are intended to provide lift equivalent to approximately 50% of the weight of the aircraft at moderate to high speed.[1] Combat radius will be 135 nautical miles (155 mi; 250 km) with at least 90 minutes time on station. It will use fly-by-wire control.[7]
Bell unveiled a full-scale mockup of the 360 at the Association of the United States Army annual show beginning 14 October 2019.[1][8]
On 8 February 2024, the US Army ended development on Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program, with Army Chief of Staff Randy George saying the decision was influenced by the use of inexpensive unmanned systems in the Ukraine war,[9] putting the service's long-term aviation plans in doubt.
Specifications (Bell 360)[edit]
 Image of Bell 360 Invictus in flight |
Data from Textron[6]
General characteristics
- Crew: two
- Powerplant: 1 × General Electric T901 turboshaft (main powerplant)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney PW207D1 turboshaft, 586 shp (439 kW) (supplemental power unit)
Performance
- Cruise speed: 210 mph (330 km/h, 180 kn)
See also[edit]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Boeing–Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche
- Harbin Z-19
- Kawasaki OH-1
- Leonardo Helicopters AW249
- Sikorsky Raider X
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Judson, Jen (2 October 2019). "Bell unshrouds Invictus, its answer for the US Army's future attack recon aircraft". Defense News. Archived from the original on 2 October 2019.
- ^ Wolfe, Frank (22 April 2019). "Bell FARA Offering Based on 525 Technology, Company Says". Defense Daily. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Reim, Garrett (2 October 2019). "ANALYSIS: Bell reveals 360 Invictus proposal for US Army contest". FlightGlobal. Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
- ^ Tadjdeh, Yasmin (9 October 2019). "Army's Future Attack Recon Aircraft Gains Momentum". National Defense. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Bell Adds SNC to Team Invictus for Work on Advanced Mission Systems". Bell Flight. 26 April 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
- ^ a b Reim, Garrett (16 December 2019). "Bell discloses booster engine for 360 Invictus". FlightGlobal. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
- ^ "Lethal. Sustainable. Bell Announces 360 Invictus For U.S. Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft Competition". Textron. 2 October 2019. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023.
- ^ Martin, Jeff (21 October 2019). "Video: Bell shows off the full-scale Invictus model at AUSA". Defense News. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024.
- ^ Judson, Jen. "US Army spent billions on a new helicopter that now will never fly". Defense News, 8 February 2024.