Helikopter - Airbus Helicopter foreslår X3 variant til US Army - Tyler rogoway

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Airbus recently confirmed that it had proposed a design derived from its world speed record-holding X3 compound helicopter demonstrator for the U.S. Army’s new attack reconnaissance rotorcraft program. The service has outlined requirements for a pilot-optional “knife fighter” able to operate heavily defended areas and densely packed urban environments, which could also help fill the glaring gap left by the premature retirement of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.

Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, offered the new details in a briefing for the media on Feb. 18, 2019. The Army first announced its plans for what it officially calls the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft Competitive Prototype (FARA CP) in June 2018 and formally began accepting proposals in October 2018. The service hopes to evaluate between four and six designs initially before down-selecting to just two in 2020 for an actual fly off competition.