The US military plans to reduce about 25 different helicopter types today into four models of a next-generation of vertical lift aircraft. We've known this for a few years already, but the full scope and vision for the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) studies guiding the Joint Multi-Role (JMR) has eluded this blogger until now.
The strategy is revealed in a May 2011 briefing by Col Doug Rombaugh, programme executive officer of rotory wing aviation for Special Operations forces. Rombaugh's slide breaks down performance goals for a four-member family of JMR types:
If these numbers hold, the US military anticipates transitioning to a vastly larger fleet compared to the helicopters operating today. For example, the JMR-Medium is listed with a combined internal and external payload weight of 16,000-40,000lb. The upper limit of that range exceeds the UH-60M's maximum take-off weight by 18,000lb! The ultra category is also interesting. It asks for a combined payload weight between 80,000 to 144,000lb -- for a vertical lift aircraft!
Rombaugh also provides the timeline envisioned to launch the migration from today's helicopters to the JMR family, and it starts almost immediately for the JMR-Medium and very soon for the JMR-Ultra. Not far behind is a new-start for a JMR-Light. Further out is the launch of a JMR-Heavy to replace the CH-47 Chinook. This slide is also new information.
The strategy is revealed in a May 2011 briefing by Col Doug Rombaugh, programme executive officer of rotory wing aviation for Special Operations forces. Rombaugh's slide breaks down performance goals for a four-member family of JMR types:
If these numbers hold, the US military anticipates transitioning to a vastly larger fleet compared to the helicopters operating today. For example, the JMR-Medium is listed with a combined internal and external payload weight of 16,000-40,000lb. The upper limit of that range exceeds the UH-60M's maximum take-off weight by 18,000lb! The ultra category is also interesting. It asks for a combined payload weight between 80,000 to 144,000lb -- for a vertical lift aircraft! Rombaugh also provides the timeline envisioned to launch the migration from today's helicopters to the JMR family, and it starts almost immediately for the JMR-Medium and very soon for the JMR-Ultra. Not far behind is a new-start for a JMR-Light. Further out is the launch of a JMR-Heavy to replace the CH-47 Chinook. This slide is also new information.
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