Here Come New Helicopters That Could Be the Future of the Army

Task and Purpose

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Since 1939, aerospace manufacturers Boeing and Sikorsky Aircraft have remained synonymous with dependable fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, respectively, responsible for supplying the US armed forces with illustrious vehicles from the venerable F/A-18 Super Hornet and Air Force One to the combat-ready Black Hawk and Chinook helos. Now, the two firms are teaming up to develop a brand new gunship for the US military: The SB-1 assault helicopter.

(This article by Jared Keller originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter. This article first appeared in 2017.)

On April 10, Sikorsky owner Lockheed Martin posted a brief concept video detailing the company’s design for an attack craft with “long range, high speed, superior hover performance and unmatched maneuverability” to supplement the military’s helicopter fleet for decades to come. Take a look:

Developed as part of the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, The War Zone reports that the Army is currently exploring replacement craft for both the AH-64 Apache gunship and UH-60 Black Hawk. Here’s the backstory on the project, courtesy of The War Zone: