Bell helicopters unveiled a new unmanned tiltrotor design named the V-247 Vigilant, the third tiltrotor design from the company. The V...
Bell helicopters unveiled a new unmanned tiltrotor design named the V-247 Vigilant, the third tiltrotor design from the company.
The V-247 unmanned aerial system (UAS) will combine the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft is mainly intended to meet a US Marine Corps requirement.
The Vigilant is designed to provide unmatched long-endurance persistent expeditionary and surveillance capability and lethal reach, as well as runway independence to operate successfully in maritime environments and locations without secure runway availability.
The UAS could cruise at 250 knots cruise speed with a 450 nautical miles combat mission radius along with a 11 hours endurance.
With a 16,000 pounds empty weight and 29,500 pounds max gross weight V-247 have a wingspan of 65-feet.
It will be powered by a single fuselage mounted turbo-shaft engine, which will distributed to drive the two 30 feet diameter rotors.
With its signature blade fold wing stow design, it will fit inside a U.S. Navy DDG guided missile destroyer hangar space, and two can be loaded on a C-17 aircraft.
The bays on the Bell V-247 Vigilant are designed to carry high definition sensors, fuel, sonar buoys, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) modules, 360-degree surface radar modules, an MK-50 torpedo or Hellfire or JAGM missiles optimally weighing up to 13,000 pounds.
A Group 5 UAS, the Bell V-247 Vigilant is designed to combine unparalleled capability with unprecedented flexibility to execute a wide array of mission sets, including electronic warfare, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), escort, C4 (Command, Control, Communications, and Computers), persistent fire missions and tactical distribution.
The UAS will also capable of being aerial refueled, extending its reach.
The Bell V-247 Vigilant design and capabilities bring to bear experience from the Bell-Boeing V-22 tiltrotor program and UH-1Y/AH-1Z programs, and also from the underdevelopment Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor for U.S. Army which is expected to fly in 2017.
Bell says the tiltrotor could be available for production as early as 2023.
The V-247 unmanned aerial system (UAS) will combine the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft is mainly intended to meet a US Marine Corps requirement.
The Vigilant is designed to provide unmatched long-endurance persistent expeditionary and surveillance capability and lethal reach, as well as runway independence to operate successfully in maritime environments and locations without secure runway availability.
The UAS could cruise at 250 knots cruise speed with a 450 nautical miles combat mission radius along with a 11 hours endurance.
With a 16,000 pounds empty weight and 29,500 pounds max gross weight V-247 have a wingspan of 65-feet.
It will be powered by a single fuselage mounted turbo-shaft engine, which will distributed to drive the two 30 feet diameter rotors.
With its signature blade fold wing stow design, it will fit inside a U.S. Navy DDG guided missile destroyer hangar space, and two can be loaded on a C-17 aircraft.
The bays on the Bell V-247 Vigilant are designed to carry high definition sensors, fuel, sonar buoys, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) modules, 360-degree surface radar modules, an MK-50 torpedo or Hellfire or JAGM missiles optimally weighing up to 13,000 pounds.
A Group 5 UAS, the Bell V-247 Vigilant is designed to combine unparalleled capability with unprecedented flexibility to execute a wide array of mission sets, including electronic warfare, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), escort, C4 (Command, Control, Communications, and Computers), persistent fire missions and tactical distribution.
The UAS will also capable of being aerial refueled, extending its reach.
The Bell V-247 Vigilant design and capabilities bring to bear experience from the Bell-Boeing V-22 tiltrotor program and UH-1Y/AH-1Z programs, and also from the underdevelopment Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor for U.S. Army which is expected to fly in 2017.
Bell says the tiltrotor could be available for production as early as 2023.
