Ramona Adams
Bell Helicopter, a subsidiary of Textron, has introduced a shipborne unmanned aerial system designed to combine helicopters’ vertical lift function with the speed and range of fixed-wing aircraft.
Textron said Thursday it expects production of the Bell V-247 Vigilant tiltrotor UAS to begin in 2023 to support operations in maritime environments and locations without runways.
Bell developed the UAS platform to help military customers facilitate various missions such as electronic warfare; escort; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; command, control, communications and computers; persistent fire missions and tactical distribution.
The V-247 is also designed to be compatible with shipboard applications of DDG guided missile destroyers as well as employs open architecture and interfaces, air-to-air refueling and electro optical and targeting systems.
Bell applied its experience from the V-22 tiltrotor program and UH-1Y/AH-1Z programs to develop the V-247.
