via Army.mil
Bell Helicopter's Air Vehicle Concept Demonstrator aircraft, funded under the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstration program, was flown for the first time by an Army pilot Feb. 7.
Chief Warrant Officer 3, Tom Wiggins, of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command conducted the flight at the Bell Flight Test Facility in Amarillo, Tex.
During the flight, he performed Hover In Ground Effect repositioning, pattern flight and roll-on landings.
Well Bell just unzipped their pants and showed the goods to the whole world didn't she?
It's obvious that they're gonna be trying to at least get SOCOM to bite on the V-280 even if Big Army doesn't.
Pretty damn smart.
I'd bet money they've taken note of the V-22's performance during landing and take-offs...particularly landing...and I'm sure SOCOM has expressed displeasure at its performance.
How do they solve that problem if SOCOM isn't using CV-22's for assaults? They invent a better tilt rotor to solve the problem.
I guess the Marine Corps could bullshit the Navy into buying the V-22 for the COD mission but SOCOM ain't so easy. Getting shot up in Africa on a couple of occasions will do that to you.
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