By
Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. on January 25, 2021 at 6:31 AM
Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant-X
WASHINGTON: Sikorsky and Boeing did “hundreds of trade studies” and consulted extensively with the Army to refine their SB>1 Defiant compound helicopter into the new Defiant-X, officially unveiled today.
What’s the difference? The companies were cagey about details, and they said they may make further tweaks. But between their guarded statements and the keen eyes of fellow reporters on the conference call, we can highlight a few visible changes in the images released today:
Defiant-X has beefed up landing gear, having gained a nose wheel that the SB>1 Defiant lacked. (SB>1 had two large wheels forward and a small wheel on the tail – check out these close-ups). This almost certainly adds weight, but, the companies said, it will improve stability on rugged frontline landing zones.