Sikorsky SB-1 Defiant
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation · United States · first flew 2019 · helicopter
The Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant is a high-speed compound helicopter demonstrator developed jointly by Sikorsky and Boeing as their entry in the US Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition. It uses coaxial contra-rotating rigid main rotors and a rear pusher propeller to achieve speeds far beyond conventional helicopters.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 22 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Coaxial contra-rotating rigid rotors with pusher propeller
- No tail rotor — pusher prop provides anti-torque and thrust
- High-speed compound helicopter demonstrator for FLRAA competition
Distinctive for its coaxial rigid rotor pair with no tail rotor, a pusher propeller at the rear of the tailboom, and small stub wings for lift offloading at high speed. The clean fuselage and absence of any conventional tail rotor make it unlike any in-service helicopter.
Specifications
- The Sikorsky SB-1 Defiant has a length of 22 m (72 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.4 m (44 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 460 km/h (286 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flying in March 2019, the SB-1 Defiant is based on the X2 technology demonstrator concept developed by Sikorsky, scaled up to utility helicopter dimensions. It competed against the Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor in the FLRAA programme, though Bell ultimately won the competition in 2022.
Variants
The SB-1 Defiant is a single technology demonstrator; the proposed SB-1 Defiant X was a further scaled-up configuration proposed for the FLRAA production contract.
Where you'll see it
The SB-1 Defiant is an experimental demonstrator and has not entered service. All flight testing has been conducted by Sikorsky-Boeing test pilots in the United States.
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