Engineering:Bell V-247 Vigilant
| V-247 Vigilant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Tiltrotor multirole UAV |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Bell Helicopter |
The Bell V-247 Vigilant is a concept by Bell Helicopter to develop a large tiltrotor unmanned aerial vehicle.
Development
Bell created the V-247 to meet emerging U.S. military needs for a runway-independent Group 4 or 5 UAV to provide persistent support to ground forces, while requiring less space to store and transport. Group 4 UAVs weigh more than 1,320 lb (600 kg) and fly below 18,000 ft (5,500 m). Group 5 UAVs weigh the same but fly above 18,000 ft, such as the MQ-9 Reaper, RQ-4 Global Hawk, and MQ-4C Triton. It is named the V-247 because it is planned that a two-aircraft team can provide 24/7 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) over a given area.[1]
The design uses tiltrotors to take off vertically and transition to high-speed forward flight, enabling performance unachievable with just rotorcraft or fixed-wing aircraft. It leverages technologies which Bell previously utilized for the V-22 Osprey and V-280 Valor for the Future Vertical Lift program, and the HV-911 Eagle Eye, another smaller unmanned tiltrotor dropped in 2008. The aircraft is capable of performing a variety of missions including electronic warfare, persistent fire support, airborne early warning (AEW), and resupply.[1]
Bell is particularly interested in the U.S. Marine Corps' Marine Air Ground Task Force – Unmanned Expeditionary Capabilities (MUX) concept to perform the tasks of MQ-1 Predator and Reaper aircraft while operating from amphibious assault ships to complement and escort the MV-22. The U.S. Army is also interested in runway-independent unmanned aircraft, and the Vigilant could be incorporated into manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) arrangements where helicopter pilots have the ability to control nearby drones from the cockpit using a tactical common data-link. A 1/8-scale model was unveiled in September 2016. The system could be ready for production by 2023.[1][2][3][4][5] While Bell is funding the V-247 through its preliminary design phase, the company is searching for a customer, likely the USMC, to fund the follow-on design effort to incorporate specific requirements into the design.[6]
Design
The V-247 Vigilant is designed to weigh 16,000 lb (7,300 kg) empty and carry 13,000 lb (5,900 kg) of fuel, weapons, and sensors for a maximum gross weight of 29,000 lb (13,000 kg), roughly three times the maximum takeoff weight of the MQ-9. The V-22 and V-280 use two engines located within the tiltrotor pylons. The V-247 will have a single engine housed in the fuselage generating 5,000-6,000 shp (3,670-4,410 kW), about as much as the V-22's engines. The wingspan is 65 ft (20 m), just 1 ft (30 cm) shorter than the Reaper's, with 30 ft (9.1 m)-diameter tilting rotors, 8 ft (2.4 m) smaller in diameter than the V-22's.[1]
Like the V-280, it has a V-shaped tail and one long wing piece mated to the top of the fuselage and retractable tricycle landing gear. To enable size compatibility with U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, the wing and rotors swivel along the 37 ft (11 m)-long fuselage to have the same footprint as the UH-1Y Venom helicopter. Two folded up V-247s can fit inside one C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft. The aircraft aims to have a cruise speed of 250 knots (290 mph; 460 km/h), a top speed of 300 knots (350 mph; 560 km/h), and a service ceiling of 25,000 ft (7,600 m), with a combat radius of 450 nautical miles (520 mi; 830 km) and time-on-station of 11–15 hours, while carrying a 600 lb (270 kg) payload. Range is 1,400 nmi (1,600 mi; 2,600 km) for 17 hours on internal fuel. It has the capability for aerial refueling.[1]
The aircraft can support an internal mission payload of 2,000 lb (910 kg) and can sling-load 9,000 lb (4,100 kg). The Vigilant is equipped with three internal payload bays, a centerline payload, and the capability to house up to two underwing pylons per side for various payloads including additional fuel, radar systems, LiDAR modules, sonobuoys, the Mark 50 torpedo, AGM-114 Hellfire, and Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM).[1][2][3][4][7]
See also
Related development
- Bell Eagle Eye
- Bell V-280 Valor
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Bell unveils V-247 Vigilant unmanned tiltrotor - Flightglobal.com, 22 September 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bell Unveils Pilotless Tiltrotor Aircraft Model - Defensenews.com, 22 September 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Month After Us, Bell Unveils V-247 Vigilant Tiltrotor Drone - Breakingdefense.com, 22 September 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bell Helicopter Unveils New Tilt-Rotor Drone Concept - Nationaldefensemagazine.org, 22 September 2016
- ↑ Tiltrotor ‘Drone’ Debuts In U.S. - Copybook.com/Military, 29 September 2016
- ↑ Bell searching for customer to fund Vigilant design - Flightglobal.com, 4 October 2016
- ↑ Bell leverages V-22 experience for new V-247 Vigilant unmanned tilt-rotor - Newatlas.com, 23 September 2016
External links
- Bell Helicopter Introduces Bell V-247 “Vigilant” Tiltrotor Unmanned Aerial System in Ship-Borne Configuration
- Bell Helicopter unveils V-247 Vigilant unmanned tiltrotor aircraft - Air Recognition
 |  |
