Israeli Tilt Rotor (Future Vertical Lift Program)

annerajb · October 7, 2013

http://i-hls.com/2013/10/israeli-offers-an-advanced-aircraft-to-the-u-s-army/

What do you guys think?

Lindsey · October 7, 2013

My professional opinion is that it is ugly.

Velocity173 · October 7, 2013

No way that thing is going to hit 360 kts. Then again, this is coming from a country that had the foresight to build walls to keep zombies out. I suppose anything's possible.

I3uller · October 7, 2013

Thank god for the 10th man. Just too bad some singing and dancing refugees were able to ruin it all. Facts of life I suppose.

smalltownguy · October 8, 2013

If you check the army fixed wing thread I posted a link to the aviation week article about this... There are supposedly four competing and soon to be narrowed down to two. I'd add the link here too but I'm on my phone heading to a brief so check it out.

smalltownguy · October 8, 2013

I grabbed it for ya anyway... Here ya go: http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_10_02_2013_p0-623233.xml

UH60L-IP · October 8, 2013

From the link:

JMR is a precursor to the Army’s planned Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Medium program to replace first the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter and later the Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, beginning in the mid-2030s.

Yea, they haven't found a way to replace the cheap Kiowa for 30+ years. They'll send the Kiowa to the graveyard before they replace it. But yea, we're going to replace the newest release of the Apache and the brand new UH-60M model glass cockpit aircraft (that we haven't even transitioned all our pilots to yet) with some expensive as heck tilt rotor from an Israeli company that nobody has ever heard of (and who is unlikely to be in a position to buy off a bunch of senators in an administration that hates Israel) within the next 15 years or so at a time when our military is seeing major cuts.

I for one will not be purchasing stock in the Karem company anytime soon.

smalltownguy · October 8, 2013

Did you read the aviation week link? They are not even close to buying these yet or even know if the one from Karem will make the l final cut. As for Karem stock, they have actually made tons of US military products by teaming up with big players. On another note, this looks more like a good 47 replacement rather than 60/64. Just my .02

UH60L-IP · October 8, 2013

Did you read the aviation week link?......As for Karem stock, they have actually made tons of US military products by teaming up with big players.

Of course I read it. Didn't realize that I couldn't say anything tongue in cheek though.

I will restate the one serious part. This thing (or anything competing with it) will never see an American pilot other than perhaps some testing or very limited use. It sure as heck will never replace a Blackhawk or Apache during their "mid-2030s" timeline. That part is absolutely laughable. We can't replace an M9 pistol in a 20 year search, much less the latest multi-million dollar 60s and 64s.

Velocity173 · October 8, 2013

This aircraft will come online around the same time the C-27 enters Army service.

smalltownguy · October 8, 2013

Of course I read it. Didn't realize that I couldn't say anything tongue in cheek though.

I will restate the one serious part. This thing (or anything competing with it) will never see an American pilot other than perhaps some testing or very limited use. It sure as heck will never replace a Blackhawk or Apache during their "mid-2030s" timeline. That part is absolutely laughable. We can't replace an M9 pistol in a 20 year search, much less the latest multi-million dollar 60s and 64s.

I agree 100%... didnt mean that "did you read the aviation week link?" question to sound smartass I was just curious if you saw it because you only talked about the Karem one.... that makes sense though since the original post was only about it. We are on the same page... sorry if that came off wrong.