Bell is designing its V-247 Vigilant unmanned tiltrotor as a solution for the US Marine Corps’ (USMC’s) emerging ship-based multi-mission aircraft requirement, Todd Worden, Bell’s senior manager for advanced tiltrotor systems, told Jane’s on 7 May at the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space exposition, held in National Harbor, Maryland, from 6 to 8 May.
The Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Expeditionary (MUX) aircraft requirement has evolved at a measured pace over the last several years and has yet to break out into a major acquisition programme. In fiscal year 2020 the USMC requested USD21.6 million to mature the concept and conduct experimentation with an eye towards operationally fielding the aircraft in the mid 2020s.
Bell’s V-247 Vigilant unmanned tiltrotor was designed in anticipation of a USMC requirement for a large, armed UAV capable of operating from ships. (Bell Helicopter)
MUX is to be an extended range, long-endurance, and multi-mission unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of operating from the aft deck of a guided missile destroyer (DDG).
Bell’s emerging V-247 Vigilant, a tiltrotor UAV, has a foldable-blade wing stow design so it could be stored inside a ship’s hanger. It is designed to fit within the same footprint as an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, Worden said.
There is not yet a flying prototype of the V-247, but the engineering team is working with the similarly designed V-280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft, which has flown, to learn design lessons. The V-280 is aimed at the US Army’s Future Vertical Lift project, while the V-247 is being designed specifically with MUX in mind, Worden noted.
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