#beyondexplained
The race to replace the US Army's UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter heated up between the SB-1 Defiant and the V-280 Valor. Defiant, a compound helicopter, boasted impressive maneuverability and a top speed of 191 mph. Its design featured two counter-rotating rotors on top and a pusher propeller in the back for additional thrust. The V-280 Valor, on the other hand, took a tiltrotor approach. With tiltrotor propellers that could switch between vertical and horizontal positions.
the Valor offered superior speed and range. Clocking in at over 322 mph, it could cruise significantly faster than the Defiant. While the Defiant promised agility, the Valor's tiltrotor design won the US Army's favor for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. Speed and range were prioritized for modern warfare scenarios. Although the Defiant wasn't chosen, its innovative concept paves the way for future advancements in helicopter design.
