S97 Raider and JMR/FVL program News + Videos

Jeff Head said:

Yep...I saw that.

But that's okay. The Army needs a bunch of these.

The Navy and Marines can continue with the V-22 variants.

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Well kinda eventually the Navy and Marines will have to move to replace the UH-1, AH-1 and SH60's same for the USAF with the HH60 when that comes it's likely both Sikorsky and Boeing will make offerings that will be Amphibious and Ship friendly V22 is the intended superior lifter to those three types. The JMR program is aimed to extend the range and speed of the medium and attack platforms so it's likely that in the late 2020's to mid 2030's the Marines and Navy and Airforce will be looking at these. Perhaps even US allies like the UK, Canada ( they need both a utility and attacker ), Japan and more.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

Well kinda eventually the Navy and Marines will have to move to replace the UH-1, AH-1...

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Well, the Marines are replacing the UH-1 with the UH-1Y Venoms, and the AH-1s are going to the AH-1Z Vipers (the Zulu Cobra).

That is all a part of the H-1 Upgrade program and these are new build helicopters that I think they are going to be around a long time.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

...same for the USAF with the HH60 when that comes it's likely both Sikorsky and Boeing will make offerings that will be Amphibious and Ship friendly V22 is the intended superior lifter to those three types.

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The USAF and Army may go there...but I think the Marines and Navy have a pretty good long term in place with the Ospreys, the Vipers, and the Venoms.

...not to mention the MH-60 Romeos and Sierras for the Navy.

Jeff. I beg to differ, talking longer Term here. earliest production dates for JMR medium for the army is about 2027-2028.
please consider the US Army's AH64E and UH60M are about the same age as the AH1Z Vipers and UH1Y Venoms. first service around 2008 all in current production even Osprey will be about the same age. The Marines by the fact that they are the smallest of the US services places smaller numbers by order and places more mission demands on there birds

The Projected performance of JMR-Medium platforms either Boeing Sikorsky or Bell would push for a Combat radius of 424KM ( minimum ) vs Venom at 241 Km or Viper at 231 Km. Defiant Cruise speed at 250kt or the Faster Valor projection of 280kt vs the never exceed of Viper (the faster of the two) at 222 kt. Given the Marines mission set as Rapid reaction from the sea the speed and range advantages combined with by 2030 terminated production lines ( Viper/Venon line planed closing date 2016 ) would likely push them to make the change over Well likely rebuilding Osprey's to a newer Variant.
My earlier point was simply to clarify as prototyped in plans there were no considerations yet for Amphibious. I do believe that given the demands from the Army and the needs of the other services eventually it will expand.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

Jeff. I beg to differ, talking longer Term here. earliest production dates for JMR medium for the army is about 2027-2028.
please consider the US Army's AH64E and UH60M are about the same age as the AH1Z Vipers and UH1Y Venoms. first service around 2008 all in current production even Osprey will be about the same age..

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Well, out in the mid 2030s you may well be correct.

I guess my point is that they are building the Venoms and Vipers now. I expect they will be in service for another 25 years. So we are looking at more like 2040 for them to really be replaced. In that time frame, mid 2030s to 2040...these new aircraft and their derivatives may well replace those platforms.

Well before that, in the late 2020s, I expect to see them in service with the US Army.

Additional thoughts. Osprey is a excelent aircraft likely to have a long service life and be used by the USN, USMC and USAF as well as US Allies in any number of roles from Special ops to troop transport, Air tanker, AEW and more however the size of the birds would restrict them from organic use by some ships particularly Frigates and Destroyers of the Zumwalt, Burke and what ever moves in as a successor. and much like the Marines the question will come of a replacement for Knight and Sea-Hawks.
Given the demands placed by the Army for JMR when compared to the existing platforms in the US services, I don't think any of the services could then be able justify develouping or operating a unique platform in the same weight class.

The Army is in my opinion looking to create a true Joint Multirole platform to clean out the Aviation fleets in the 2020s -2040s. If so there hope would be for platforms in the medium weight class so then if we use Valor's pseudo designation V280 there hope is UV280 for the Army, MV280 for SF and maybe the Marines, SV280 ASW for the Navy, HV280 for the USAF and Coast Guard, AV280 for both the Army and Marines.

The whole JMR program may take an unexpected turn depending on who winds up buying Sikorsky. I suspect Boeing but you never know. It would be really be strange if Textron (owners of Bell) wound up buying Sikorsky.

From AUSA 2015.







Sikorksy also has a new video on their Twitter account but it isn't on their Youtube channel.

What's the advantage to this kind of swinging door instead of the sliding door type like in the Blackhawk's and Huey's?