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Bell 360 Invictus

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Bell 360 Invictus
Role Reconnaissance and attack helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Bell Helicopter

The Bell 360 Invictus is 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

Scott C. Donnelly, CEO of Textron, has said in April 2019 that the 360 will be based on the 525.[1][2] The 360 and 525 will share an articulated rotor system, although the 360, which would only seat two (a pilot and gunner) would use a single engine and a four-blade rotor, whereas the 525 uses twin engines and a five-blade rotor, with a capacity of nineteen passengers.[3]

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 stabiliser 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] It will be powered by a single engine[3] derived from the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) by General Electric.

The US Army requirement calls for a cruising speed in excess of 180 knots (330 km/h), and the 360 is intended to meet this;[1] the 525 rotor system has been tested to exceed 200 knots (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 (250 km) with at least 90 minutes time on station. It will use fly by wire control.[4]

Bell intends to unveil a full-scale mockup of the 360 at the Association of the United States Army annual show beginning 14 October 2019.[1]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Bell unshrouds Invictus, its answer for the US Army’s future attack recon aircraft, Jen Judson, Defense News, 2019-10-02
  2. ^ Bell FARA Offering Based on 525 Technology, Company Says, Frank Wolfe, Rotor & Wing International, 2019-04-29, accessed 2019-10-03
  3. ^ a b c d Reim, Garrett (2 October 2019). "ANALYSIS: Bell reveals 360 Invictus proposal for US Army contest". Flight Global. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  4. ^ Lethal. Sustainable. Bell announces 360 invictus for U.S. Army future attack reconnaissance aircraft competition, Textron media release, 2019-10-02
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