US New ATTACK Helicopter Will CHANGE Battlefield Forever!

The US has been on the lookout for a new light attack scout helicopter now for a long time. Bell has designed something that is a perfect fit, but despite this, the 360 Invictus may never see the battlefield through no fault of its ingenious design. This is because this amazing helicopter may have been designed ahead of its time. It remains to be seen if it can make a comeback but let's take a closer look at what makes this agile aircraft an unloved leader in its class. But before we get started, if you enjoyed this video and would like to see more just like it, remember to give us a like and subscribe to Military World to get more sent straight to your notifications. Part of the US Army's future vertical lift portfolio, the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft Program was an ongoing competitive effort between contractors to source a replacement for the service's retired fleet of Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Light Attack Scout Helicopters. Bell delivered Kiowas to the US Army in the late 1960s and has continued working on the aircraft through to September of 2017. So it's no surprise that Bell would seek to prolong this relationship by providing the type's natural successor. This was confirmed in 2019 when the U.S. rotorcraft manufacturing giant unveiled the 360 Invictus a month after announcing its partnership with Collins Aerospace on the project. The design of the 360 showcases stealth qualities not unlike the ultimately abandoned U.S. Army's RAH-66 Comanche armed scout stealth helicopter of the 2000s but brings about all modern digitally driven solutions to the battlefield that include mature stealth capabilities, inherent weapons modularity, enhanced agility through digital fly-by-wire controlling, and excellent straight-line performance. Commonalities between the 360 and the Comanche include the sleek compound fuselage design with two engine intakes blended into the top of each side of the aircraft as well as a retractable undercarriage, shroud main rotor, internal weapons bay, forward-facing rotary cannon under the nose, and a two-seat tandem cockpit for a pilot and weapons system operator. The big difference, however, between this new machine and the Comanche is that the Invictus has not been designed to have a stealth capability and instead features advanced sensors, human system interface, and communications to increase operational effectiveness and interoperability according to its designers. Based on technology developed for Bell's 525 Relentless medium-lift civil utility helicopter, the 360 Invictus is a single-rotor light attack scout rotorcraft that has a sleek blended fuselage design with a tandem seat cockpit configuration and that advanced fly-by-wire flight control system we mentioned earlier. The core development aims of the Invictus have focused on maintaining the platform's affordability, sustainability, upgradability, and versatility while meeting and exceeding the U.S. Army's FARA program requirements. One of the U.S. Army's requirements calls for a cruising speed in excess of 180 knots and the 360 has been designed to meet this. The Bell 525 rotor system has been tested to exceed 200 knots or approximately 230 miles per hour. The subwings are there to provide lift equivalent to approximately 50% of the weight of the aircraft at moderate to high speeds. Its combat radius is 155 miles with at least 90 minutes time on station. The U.S. Army was initially offered five different aircraft designs from contractors to fulfill its FARA requirements under the competitive prototype phase of the program. This was taken down to the best two in March of 2020 when the Army revealed that the Invictus and Sikorsky's Raider X would be the two developed into flying prototypes before participating in a fly-off competition. Depending on the results of this competitive fly-off, either Bell or Sikorsky was supposed to be chosen to provide the successor for the retired OH-58Ds. The U.S. Army aimed to start fielding its desired platform operationally from 2028. In 2021, Bell released an image of the first Invictus prototype under construction. The aircraft was expected to complete its maiden flight before the end of 2022. The helicopter takes on a very sleek appearance with special attention paid to reducing external protrusions. A slight chine line is featured running the length of the fuselage. This houses an operating crew of two with a cruising speed of 207 miles per hour. An integrated supplemental power unit on the 360 will provide additional boost and dash speed capabilities as well as auxiliary power for ground running actions like maintenance. Handling is enhanced by the same system trialed and proven aboard two other impressive Bell projects. The Bell Model 525 Relentless Medium Lift Helicopter and the ongoing development of the Bell V-280 Tilt Rotor Helicopter. An important triplex redundant system aids in handling of the rotorcraft reducing crew workload and adding autonomy. As well as the speed requirement outlined by the U.S. Army, they also stated that the helicopter must be able to accommodate government furnished equipment such as munitions and GE Aviation's T-901-900 turboshaft engine which won the Army's improved turbine engine program in 2019. The Invictus uses one T-901-900 power plant along with a Pratt & Whitney PW-207-D1 turboshaft which is used as the platform's supplemental power unit. The PW-207-D1 serves two functions providing auxiliary power for ground maintenance and system checks while contributing additional horsepower in flight to boost cruise speed, dash speed, and hover capability. The 360 incorporates design elements that were developed for the 525 Relentless but it will only employ a single four-bladed rotor system and a single engine as opposed to the two power plants and five-bladed rotor system that the Relentless uses. The 360 also has a lift sharing wing which reduces the demand on the rotors in forward flight. This offers superb high-speed maneuverability without the need for a complex propulsor and drive system. This is also the inclusion of a proven articulated shrouded main rotor head that will allow the Invictus to fly at greater speeds and that the high-speed rotor blade design mitigates retreating blade stall providing agility in reconnaissance missions from hover to high speed. For weaponry, Bell's 360 Invictus has a payload capacity of up to 1,400 pounds and also has a forward-facing 20mm rotary cannon under the nose with two internal weapons bays very similar to that of the RAH-66 we looked at earlier. Munitions may also be equipped externally through underwing hardpoints that are fitted to the aircraft's lift-sharing wings. The platform is also equipped with a modular effects launcher that allows both current and future weapon systems with the capacity to be integrated with the capability to deploy a range of air-launched effects. The crew of two is seated in stepped tandem and the weapons specialist can be found in the forward cockpit with the pilot in the rear cockpit. The stepped nature of this arrangement, a common feature in modern attack helicopters, gives both crewmen excellent vision out of the cockpit. Entry to each position is through dedicated hinged doors along the port side. The four-bladed main rotor unit is situated over midships which supports a low mast keeping the hub close to the fuselage roof. The engines are embedded in the fuselage in a typical side-by-side arrangement with special consideration being given to the intake and exhaust ports of each power plant. This helps with a further reduction of radar and heat signatures. The sides of the aircraft are home to a pair of extended-length wing mini-planes which not only share lift loads, but can also support an optional external hardpoint for up to four missiles on each side. However, the primary weapons delivery system of the 360 is an internal arrangement which sees a twin missile launcher emerge from the sides of the belly. This also helps with stealth. In total, the helicopter could field up to 12 armor-defeating guided missiles, or a mixed ordnance load including gun, cannon pods, and rocket pods. Unfortunately for the 360, the FARA program was cancelled as of 2024. This may mean the end of the Invictus, but this amazing machine may make an appearance in the future, in this form or in a incarnation. What are your thoughts on the Bell 360 Invictus? Let us know in the comments below. If you enjoyed this video, don't forget to give us a like and subscribe to Military World to get our latest videos straight to your notifications.