Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

Bell To Simulate V-22 Controlling Eagle Eye VUAV
10/05/2005 09:49:47 AM
By Marc Selinger

Bell Helicopter Textron plans to begin conducting computer simulations in the next few months to see whether its Eagle Eye vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VUAV) could be controlled from the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, a Bell official said Oct. 4.

If the simulations go well, Bell could begin actual flights of the Osprey/Eagle Eye tiltrotor tandem as early as the end of 2006, said Douglas Wolfe, Bell's business development manager for unmanned programs. The Eagle Eye used in those tests would be a 95% production-representative prototype that Bell already is building and plans to begin flying in January 2006.

The prototype, which Bell is paying for, already is intended for several other purposes, including performing risk reduction for the U.S. Coast Guard's Deepwater modernization program and demonstrating Eagle Eye's capabilities for future customers.

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Hough, deputy commandant for Marine aviation, has said he envisions VUAVs serving as forward sensors for V-22s that are transporting Marines (DAILY, Sept. 28). The Marines are assessing their requirements and competition strategy for VUAVs and have portrayed Eagle Eye as a strong candidate.

Unmanned ARH?

In other UAV news, Bell officials said they are exploring concepts for unmanned versions of two U.S. Army helicopters: the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and its planned replacement, the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH). Bell built the OH-58D and won a competition in late July to be the ARH prime contractor

Gratuitous pics...

Ass load of Osprey...



Eagle Eye...

tag

That's a sweet pic.

Cool!

I like the V-22, but shouldn't they get flying the V-22 down before they try to fly two of them at the same time?