All About Bell’s V-280 Valor: Future Replacement for US Military Blackhawks – Part 2

The unrefueled operational radius is 2.5 times that of Blackhawk

This is thanks to the maximum takeoff weight of approximately 14 tons, more than the Blackhawk’s 10.6 tons. The payload has also increased to 2 tons inside and 4.5 tons outside, compared to the Blackhawk’s 1.2 tons and 4.1 tons, respectively. It can carry about 4.5 tons of cargo using a tow line, and the combat radius is 578-920 miles (930-1480 km), much longer than the UH-60 Blackhawk’s 368 miles (592 km). The tiltrotor chosen by the V-280 takes off. It lands vertically like a helicopter by setting the rotor blades vertically during takeoff and landing and flies horizontally like a turboprop aircraft at a certain altitude and speed. It combines the advantages of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

However, due to its complex structure, there are concerns about safety. The V-22 Osprey has been nicknamed the “widow maker” due to several accidents, and it took 18 years from its first flight to production. But the V-280 Valor, unlike the V-22 Osprey, has a relatively simple structure with independent engines at both ends of the wings and only the rotor rotating, giving it the advantage of suppressing cost increases somewhat.

The V-280 Valor was initially developed with a target cruising speed of 280 knots (323 miles per hour or 519 km/h), hence the V-280. The prototype flight test was conducted in 2017. Initially, basic tests were conducted at low speeds and altitudes, gradually increasing speed and altitude until reaching the target cruising speed of 280 knots in January 2019. After 85 hours of test flights, it finally lived up to its name.

However, in December 2020, the V-280 Valor achieved a flight at a top speed of 351 miles per hour (565 km/h). This top speed, about twice as fast as the UH-60 Blackhawk’s top speed of 183 miles per hour (294 km/h), allows for the rapid transport of troops and supplies, enhancing survivability. One prominent feature is that, unlike the V-22, which rotates the entire engine 90 degrees, the engine remains stationary. In contrast, only the turbo shaft portion rotates, eliminating the inability to mount defensive armament on the side door and the chronic problem of engine exhaust heat touching the runway, enhancing its effectiveness as an assault helicopter.

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