Matthew Nelson
Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky subsidiary plans to resume test efforts for a high-speed helicopter designed to support a U.S. Army initiative, FlightGlobal reported Sunday.
Dan Schultz, president of Sikorsky, said the company will conduct test flights for the SB-1 Defiant in the summer after evaluating the aircraft's transmission, rotor design and controls.
“We were late to the game, but we are pretty excited now,†said Schultz.
Jointly built by Sikorsky and Boeing, the SB-1 Defiant features active vibration technology, fly-by-wire controls and an advanced rigid rotor system. Sikorsky intends to utilize the aircraft for the Future Vertical Lift program, an Army effort that seeks to replace aging helicopters in all Department of Defense services.
