First peek of Boeing's FARA entry

Saw this at secret projects forum.

Not sure how to embed a tweet.

twitter.com...




Pusher prop? Internal weapons carriage?


This would compete with the Sikorsky's Raider X , Bell/Textron's Invictus, and Karem's AR40 trying to finally replace the Kiowa's -- a role currently being filled with mixed results by Apaches.

We should get a down-select real soon, so it might be interesting and metal will start getting cut shortly afterwards because this program (finally) has some juice.


For visual learners:

RaiderX


Invictus


AR40

a reply to: RadioRobert

I still think AirWolf was Badass after 36 years!
Airwolf

a reply to: Alchemst7

Now I'm going to be humming that all day tomorrow...

Bell posted an Invictus (CGI) video on Twitter yesterday.

Expect more of this advertising from everybody as we approach the down-select to two finalists.

From the Boeing website:

Boeing still being vague...

aviationweek.com...

Pusher prop, rotor and tail rotor...

Why not throw in NOTAR and some kind of afterburner and thrust vectoring?

Well, technically, the tail rotor is thrust-vectoring...

New video game? :-P

a reply to: Blackfinger

Boeing has a thing for ugly flying things, doesn't it?

Re: x-32.

Bunch of new renders on the Boeing FARA page.

a reply to: RadioRobert

I don't care how many they release, it's still godawful hideous.

a reply to: anzha

I was just thinking that...

Its smaller than what I expected..Longer than a Kwoka though..

a reply to: Zaphod58

Down select should be announced in the next week or two. I don't think you'll have to look at it long. But it may be seen as one of the cheaper, less risky alternatives, so there's always a chance. Plus protest season.

a reply to: RadioRobert

Just looking at all those blades and thinking about their associated systems, I thank God I don't have to deal with it.

a reply to: Zaphod58
Something about a whole bunch of aircraft parts constantly trying to liberate themselves from each other!
Boeing's entry kind of reminds me of the ill fated Cheyenne of the early 70's. Personally I love the look and lines of the Invictus. It looks like how a semi stealthy and futuristic battlefield helicopter should, but unless its got some speed tricks up its sleeve it may be too little too late. Kareem are thinking out of the box a bit so the AR-40 is interesting. At this stage I think Sikorsky has the edge, but we dont know all the entrants capabilities and possible risks.

a reply to: thebozeian

I actually got into an argument with a guy about how FARA isn't necessary, because Elon Musk says UAVs are the future. Apparently he's the smartest person on the planet, so if he says so we should rethink any disagreement.

I'd love to see Invictus fly, but I suspect you're right about Sikorsky.