Never underestimate Boeings ability to lose a contract.

The big thing people are forgetting is that the Valor did much better in the demonstrations. It met or exceeded every goal set for the demonstration. It met every schedule Bell promised. Defaint was constantly late, kept failing to meet promised goals when Sikorsky said they would and had problems during the tests. Examples: Valor met the Army's schedule for first flight, Defiant was 15 months late and then soon had to be grounded for more work, slowing the whole program. Defiant came close, but never actually achieved its promised speed, Valor exceed its (higher) promised speed by 9%,, meaning it was 23% faster than Defiant. The first Army pilot flew the V-280 less than two months after its first flight, Defiant didn't do that until 2 1/2 years after its [delayed] first flight. Valor flew far more hours than Defiant. Simply put, one aircraft did a lot better in the demonstrations and inspired much more confidence that a production version would meet or exceeded all the Army's requirements in reality rather than theory. And that's the one the Army chose.

As a former Blackhawk mechanic, I think Defiant is the better platform. It looks more survivable than the tilt rotor. The should purposely crash both craft under the same conditions to test structural integrity and survivability. Just a thought…

A big difference I haven't seen talked about is the usable performance at max speed. Maximum speed in helicopters is hell on earth. The vibrations will just continue to get more violent the faster you go and if you push into retreating blade stall territory you can have violent unexpected control inputs as well as you can reach trans-sonic advancing blade tip speeds which will give you even more unexpected violent vibrations and loss of rotor effectiveness. Tiltrotors are happy as a clam at max speed.

Maintenance in combat. Is a really big deal for the Military. Love the Defiant X -Sikorsky unfortunately slept on this fact, it’s unfortunate. I work with both projects thru supply chain quality. Hope BAE/SiK figure something out. I believe both platforms serve specific purpose multiple role combat insertions.

OK----. The Defiant X is restricted to 236 knots due to its extreme Vibrations above that speed due to rotor interferences. Vibrations that does not completely go away at lower speeds that result in Maintenance problems. Problems the Tilt-rotor Valiant does not have as it rutteenly exceeds 330 knots! Same problems Russia's new Composit Rotor Attack chopper has...

I mean, I like the Defiant X, but why is this video coming out now when the tilt-rotor V280 was already selected to replace the Blackhawk? It'd be better to move on and focus on the scout version of the X2 platform, at this point.

I'm an aircraft engineer. That thing, without a doubt, is going to be a nightmare in terms of maintenance, I can already tell. I guess that'll be the major difference between the two.

Surely being similar to the UH60 is a good thing. One of the most successful choppers of all time.

Why didn’t they already loose the contract? Their competitor beat them in ever metric that is going to matter for the next 50 years with possible theater of operations.

I really like this design and how it functions. I can even see it being useful in the private sector such as medical, business, search and rescue, Etc.

The TLDR as to why the Defiant lost, China, warfare will consist of mostly launching from ships or islands and traveling long distances, Turning into a plane was too big an edge.

Hard to imagine going coaxial tandem just to put a rotor back on the tail.

From what I have heard there was serious problems with the Defiant X transmission leading to crashes in testing. Cant run that risk compared to the Valor X program which ran more or less smoothly.

This one very rare occasion when I say the army should have chosen a mix buy of both contenders I usually have a favorite 🤔

I'm sure they'll still develop great version of this that we'll see a decade after entering service. But that cabin looks a bit too small to carry a fully geared team, gotta fix that too with some extra 50cm to each side or something like that.

I actually think the Army made the right choice for once with the Valor. Neither is perfect, but the Valor seems to be the better, reliable performer

My understanding is that the Valient won because the military wants the extra range and speed for the Pacific theater

The defiant is awesome but the cabin for the troops is really small and not as large as the Valor. I still think sikorsky is years away from perfecting the defiant. The coaxial rotors pose its own set of challenges and under high g load can cause a rotor collision.

And that's the problem! More of the same, maxing out the helicopter concept with complicated technology. The competitor has a new concept that has proven to be useful and I think has much more potential if it comes to speed and range.

Well the Defiant X pushed back flight demonstration because of mechanical issues. It may have been better on paper, but like the Porche Tiger, if it can't perform when asked, it might as well be theoretical...

I have made my own evaluation of both the Defiant and the V-280. I believe the best craft for the military is the Defiant. Also the Raider X

I was certain that defiant would win.

When your first test flight results in a total crash and you end up behind schedule by more than 3 years, you are not a good platform you are just a bloated company coasting on past success.

This makes the Osprey looks like a POT but the Army picked the Osprey-inspired V-280 Valor

Isn't this a bit behind? They picked the V-280 a week or so ago.

The fact is that NO helicopter is survivable in a modern battlefield not with the proliferation of ground to air rockets. Which means that their primary use case is moving people and equipment around in lower risk environments. The Defiant is a better conventional gunship platform, but the Valor is faster and can carry more equipment.

I noticed they didn't talk about range.. And saying it is designed to go a certain speed is not the same as saying it can achieve that speed.

Hell yea it is about time we get this helicopter going

Having experienced Osprey vs Blackhawk… the Valor is going to cost a lot more to operate over a 20 year time frame.

as much as I don't think tilt-rotors work all that well, bell has been flying for like 4 years before this had its first flight

New Kamov helicopter looks amazing.

It looks weird but also cool and futuristic.

Right... just like Boeing claimed that the 737 max was so similar to the NG that no formal recertification was required....

Just a general comment on an operational mode that hasn’t been discussed as far as I am aware. The Defiant-X should be able to ingress and egress a hot zone landing site faster than a a tilt rotor aircraft. There is not transition of flight mode required. Better still and forward thrust and lift operate independently within the allowed flight envelop. For ingress the pusher prop should be able to assist with deceleration. Again within the limits of the flight envelop. When absolutely every second counts these differences from the tilt rotation aircraft may save lives.

That thing looks amazing the future is now.

As a non US observer, I do believe that the Defiant X can withstand better any possible battle damage than the Bell design, particularly in the case where a wing tip is completely blown off by a missile strike. It seems however that Bell needed a new program in order to survive, since it had no major military programs since the Huey/Cobra helicopters. The mentioned vulnerability could possibly be minimized trough new air assault tactics. On the other hand Sikorski and Boeing still have the support and the International markets for the Blackhawk and Apache helicopters, among other types, that will keep them going for many years to come. This makes the decision understandable from a political point of view since it would not be beneficial for the US to have Bell going under. Military programs do have many more parameters than just technical specs and political as well as industrial base considerations are playing a big role. As far as the Blackhawk and Apache types I would like to see a new five blade rotor design with a Fenestron tail rotor, as an upgrade program.

The problem that the defiant has, is simple; that there is a more capable machine out there that can do it's job. If tilt rotor hybrid helicopter /plane did not exist, then the Valiant would be adopted through out the American armed forces, but it does! The Valiant is an amazing helicopter , no doubting that, but at the end of the day, the buyer wants the best performance all round, that money can buy. Years ago there was much research done on X wing helicopter, that possessed a four blade propeller that could be stopped in forward flight and become the fixed wings of the craft. I suspect that the concept could not be made to work, and thus the idea was dropped. Tilt wing hybrid plane helicopter off a much further range and speed than any helicopter, and that's why it chosen by the Marines etc. However , sometimes too much complexity as in tilt rotor mechanisms, can lead to big problems down the road!

No, it is considerably longer and taller than the blackhawk. Which means=will not fit on any frigate or destroyer helipad/hangar, and may not fit carrier/assault carrier lift and possibly not fit in their hangars.

Inferior range and speed to the V280

The sell for the Defiant is how fast it can go from full forward flight to landing in a an improv LZ. That's the sell for this helicopter. The rear mounted prop can be reversed to slow the craft. A conventional helicopter only has the attitude of its main rotor to brake the aircraft. That's assuming the mission critical issues can be solved.

I'm so glad the are protesting this.

Looks like Toothless from how to train your dragon , which is very cool .

Reasons, from an HMLA guy: 1: Tail rotor-wash/slipstream. (debris) You'd have to send one at a time down the airstrip or risk Foreign Object Damage to the turbines. Putting multiple in a little space to go up and down isn't safer, either. 2: Implementation of new squadron(s) perhaps new hangars, maintenance crews, and logistics for new parts and processes. On a global scale, there are kinks in the chains. 3: *We already have the Blackhawk.* The USA is "thinking" of phasing it out, but that will take time to move all that's there, if there's even time, trust. We're seeking innovative frames, not just the best lawn dart. The Valor has new actuators that make the Osprey seem like a try-hard, which was is maintenance nightmare.

For our civilization its coming good.

This looks like someone thought. Man helicopters just aren't complex enough, lets crank it up to one million.

Agree with other comments. Great tech but unfortunately Boeing is involved. Sikorsky should never allowed take over

Maybe that's the reason they lost the deal....same as Blackhawk....unlike the winner - Bell's tiltrotor V-280...?

so this is Boeings commercial to the public to try and keep their program alive after the army decided to go with the Valor tilt rotor program and Boeing is suing to stop the contract by throwing a 3 year-old like temper tantrum. "no fare, we didn't win" whaaaa

I think the Defiant X will be used by the Navy to replace their Blackhawks. The Valor is too big for many ships, but the Defiant X is the perfect size.

The Defiant is a beast. So tho,is the new V280.

But it's a Boeing. Their company track records is in the drain. They lied about 737 Max and Starliner. In the Ukraine war, the Kamov Ka-50 is not doing that well. Limitations on coaxial rotors? And US got very little experience with coaxial rotors. And US has learn from the V22 Osprey on how to handle tilt rotors. I agree that the Valor has a larger footprint, but when compared wing tip, to wing tip, it's only slightly larger.

Америка страна великих свершений. Боже храни Америку

This looks like Ka52 and Black hawk had mixed baby 😅😂😂

Damn! Badass gyropane!

Which do you think is more susceptible to a shoulder fired munition? This or Valor? The question answers itself. That and landing footprint are a big deal.

I love the looks reminds me of Airwolf 👍💯✌️😁

I guess the issue everyone seems to ignore, the Elephant in the Room, is WHAT will replace the Apache that can keep up with and out run the Valor so troops do not arrive without LZ prep and air cover? Please don't tell me that pilots that choose to become cargo/transport/utility helo pilots can magically become attack pilots. The two mindsets are universes apart. And abreast seating leaves at least one pilot blind on the side of the injured/decease pilot thus the reason for tandem seating.

Vary good

At the least it's a similar footprint. I like the twin rotar, but it's huge

It's the Bradly all over again, I can't wait for a new pentagon wars movie.

Based on scaling the images in the Sikorsky/Boeing video, the Defiant X is larger than the UH-60 Blackhawk. Significantly larger. Using the Blackhawk main rotor diameter of 53' 8"as a reference, the Defiant X main rotor is approximately 59' 9" in diameter. Using again the Blackhawk main rotor diameter as a reference for scaling, the hanger door opening shown in the video is approximately 62' wide. For worst case rotor position this leaves less than 14" clearance to the door opening on either side when towing the Defiant X into the hanger. Indexing the Defiant X main rotor to as shown in the video reduces the aircraft width to approximately 56' 6", increasing door clearance to 33" per side. This would seem to be adequate clearance, but raises the question of how would mechanics index those two huge main rotors prior to towing? The Bell V-280 Valor may visually appear larger than the Defiant X, but based on published data the V-280 is significantly shorter in total length. With the V-280's two main rotors indexed to minimize width for towing into a hanger, the aircraft is approximately 59' 4" wide (again based on scaling published data). For a hanger with a 62' opening, this provides 16" clearance on either side when towing the V-280 into the hanger. Note: On the V-22, manually indexing the two main rotors common procedure, performed from the ground with the pylons at 90 deg using a lanyard looped around a blade, or by hand with the pylons rotated to 45 deg to facilitate reach. I assume a similar procedures can be used on the V-280. The ease in being able to manually index the rotors on the V-280 could also facilitate parking the V-280 in hangers with door openings smaller than the Defiant X would fit. By manually reindexing the V-280 rotors after the first blade passes through the hanger door, the effective aircraft width would be approximately 51'. As far as footprint on the ground, as noted the Defiant X is significantly larger than the UH-60 Blackhawk. Just look at the relative aircraft sizes in the Sikorsky/Boeing video. Therefore, with maintaining the same rotor to rotor clearances used on the Blackhawk footprint, this claim appears to be a stretch. Additionally, ground footprint comparisons of the Defiant X to the V-280 need to take into consideration the different proportions of each aircraft.

too much like the Blackhawk to be useful in the Pacific. Range, speed, and reliability aren't comparable to the competition.

Объясните мне что у него находится в большей половине корпуса позади окон? Как он передаёт тягу на задние винты? Явно не с общего редуктора)) Забано что в видео они показали что он помещается в такой же ангар что и черный ястреб, в который на вид поместился бы с130)

Forget about the contra rotating blades and focus on being the replacement for the uh60 in every other country because for sure we won't be operating the valor x in Australia and many other nations.

The text in the thumbnail suggested this video would cover why it lost to the Valor and the video didn't cover any of that.

honestly, the defiant X is I think way cooler than the valiant and better looking BUT armies want capacities, not look, it is slower, can transport less troops or cargo and is apparently a maintenance nightmare, I don't really understand the fuss about the fact that the valiant has been choose however I can more easily see the defiant has a light attack and reconnaissance craft than the valiant, it seems more akin has a transport than an attack chopper but hey, I'm not military expert

.. And that's why they lost the Blackhawk replacement contract

That's the chopper the super villain arrives in.

From my perspective they look like different applications of design for different purposes.

Would the Defiant X end up like the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter? Just 1 or 2 units of prototype and the whole program is canceled since the Army is going to buy the Valor instead?

One word.. China... the winner of this program must be able to survive a war with china... that means hoping from one Island to another.. that means speed and range... that means Valor is the winner...

It won because of range primarily (double) , then speed. Defiant X did look good, but hey now they can pump it out to the public

They picked the wrong helo

they lost that contract.

Should offer it to Ukraine,India,Taiwan,Japan

I drew this with a crayon when I was seven.

My years of engineering experience taught me, what looks like sh#$ is a sh#$.

All I see is a flying submarine thats gonna be a maintenance nightmare

nice plane

It's a little known fact that there's a specialized group of professional, hard rock musicians who only do soundtrack music for military aircraft videos.

The skunk apes all had apoplexies when that thing dropped below the treeline.

Boeing accidentally made a sci-fi movie prop.

The defiant look like a flying submarines

I still believe it will be used for classified operations

You just answered your question. Why did Defiant lose? Because it's not that different from the Blackhawk. There's no need to buy it.

I swear these contractors go to little kids and ask them to draw a flying machine

Why didn't they integrate some of the comanche features?

A heatseeking missile's best friend.

Yeah it is. Needs a bigger door and building

Put a gunner and the gun off an appache on that thing and some rocket pods and you got transport with cas in one

Defiant is actually very large. It’s so long

1:44 it cuts out before you see how huge the Defiant is compared to the Blackhawk.

Here is what I don't understand. Why don't they just adopt both aircraft, and use them in tandem. Russia adopted both the Ka-52 and the Mi-35. Both aircraft were competing against each other for the same role. We all know the legendary status of both helicopters, and its thanks to the ongoing competition between Kamov and Rosvertol. I guarantee that if they adopt both helicopters, we are going to end up with two well refined vehicles that fill their own niche mission sets in an exemplary accord.

Great

There is no dollar that is too far from its penny. If you can live, why can't I?

Because of giroscopic effect that tail prop gives, it cannot turn quickly.

It would definitely not work for Navy purposes like the Seahawk version of the Blackhawk does. It's much taller which is a major issue with storage on ships.

Nice for Civilian helicopter, private helicopter

The Valor is more badass and suitable for the US military. That being said versatility is a good thing so I hope the three letter agencies obtain a few from Boeing.