The SB>1 Defiant helicopter, pictured during its recent lift demonstration flight. (Photo: Sikorsky-Boeing)
The Sikorsky-Boeing team behind the SB>1 Defiant announced on 22 July that they have completed a ‘significant milestone’ that validates the mission-relevant lifting capability of the co-axial helicopter.
A mid-July demonstration flight at the Sikorsky Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, involved a 5,300lb (2,400kg) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System training load.
The lifting power demonstrated by Defiant ‘equates to an Infantry Squad Vehicle or hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition’ for resupply, the development team claimed.
Defiant X (developed from the SB>1 Defiant technology demonstrator) is a candidate solution for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition, in which the US Army seeks Future Vertical Lift aircraft to replace its AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and UH-60 Black Hawk utility platforms.
As Europe confronts its most unstable security environment since the Cold War, defence planners recognise that advanced, dependable and flexible Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) are central to a force that competes and prevails on today’s battlefield.
The country could be on the cusp of finalising an historic deal with Saab for up to 150 aircraft, with Belgium also increasing its number of donated F-16 aircraft to 53 with refreshed delivery timelines.
The USAF intends to conduct the second phase of the DRAGON programme from FY2026 to FY2030, while the future of the E3 replacement remains unknown.
Indonesia’s purchase of 12 drones with options for an additional 48 is the third deal in as many years between Indonesian and Turkish defence industries, bolstering the former’s plans to strengthen its own domestic production and defence industry.
The Brazilian Army is forecast to spend $279.15 million on UAVs from 2026, exceeding the Brazilian Navy’s $227.51 million forecast spend, although the naval force was an earlier adopter of the capability.
The medium airlift aircraft is swiftly becoming the top pick for an array of countries wishing to enhance their tactical transport capabilities.
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