"Sikorsky-Boeing Future Vertical Lift Attack Concept Unveiled" Topic

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AH-56 Cheyenne rides again!

The joint Sikorsky-Boeing concept for FVL-M looks promising to me. The assault/utility and attack variants share most of their systems, similar to the UH-1/AH-1. In my estimation, this is likely to cut down development, maintenance, and acquisition costs by establishing better economies of scale.

The FVL-Attack concept looks very conventional, with an M197-like rotary cannon and external hardpoints on stub wings. I think that a conservative design should keep costs under control. The fact that it looks like the offspring of a Cobra and a Cheyenne is certainly interesting; I've always thought that the AH-56 would have done the job of the Apache and A-10 with a single, VTOL airframe. The same may happen here, with FVL gunships having similar performance to COIN/CAS aircraft with far more operating flexibility.

Range is a real issue though, and will affect the operational model very significantly. 150-300 miles is not a long way, so limited to operating from FEB airbases or mobile assets.

You'd actually be surprised, Khusrau. The A10 only has a 250 mile combat radius (granted, with almost 2 hours loiter time figured in)!

The trick would be the ferry range, as an A10 has a 2200 mile ferry range.

The utility version will be capable of aerial refueling; hopefully the attack version will be as well. That should get the range up quite a bit, assuming the aircraft won't just be loaded onto ships or C-17s. It's not quite a self-deployment capability, but tactical aircraft are usually supported by one or more tankers while ferrying anyways.

Word is that the Army is prioritizing FVL Capability 1, a scout aircraft, to provide a direct replacement for the OH-58. Apaches teamed with MQ-1Cs have provided interim recon capability, and manned-unmanned teaming has a big future, but the Army really seems to want a dedicated scout. The S-97 Raider may fit the bill for Capability 1.