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Subject: Army selects tiltrotor for further developement
Sciquest    10/23/2007 8:04:52 AM
Based on a study by the Defense Science Board, the US Army has decided to continue work on a heavy lift tiltrotor capable of a VTO of 30 tons payload for the FCS vehicles, fly 250-500nmi to a VL on an unimproved site, unload, VTO and RTB on one tank of gas. The DSB noted that developement will be long and costly but tiltrotor offered the speed/range potential to meet the JHL requirement. Engines of 30,000shp each times two will be needed. I assume that quad tiltrotor will be able to get by with 15,000shp engines as it has four rather than two nacelles. Fuel consumption will have to be improved and VTO gross weight will be 285-300,000lbs. Personally, I believe even more payload will be needed to do the job as FCS has expierenced weight growth and may need more than the 30 tons allowed for an effective FCS design than the 24 tons current weight with a 25% allowance for life cycle weight increases.
 
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longrifle       10/23/2007 5:41:15 PM
Source?
 
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Sciquest    Re: Source   10/24/2007 12:23:37 PM
From flightinternational.com which gave me basics and referenced the following site: acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports/2007-07-Future_Need_for_VTOL_STOL_Aircraft.pdf
The file is 162 pages and is exhustive in it's treatment of the mounted aerial manuever and the FCS supplies for deployment by VTOL aircraft of battalion and brigade using a/c with 30 ton vertical lifter for initial deployment of 4300 tons of battalion and sustainment for 72 hours with a brigade requiring three and one half times as much deployed entirely by air.
 
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