NATO has awarded a concept study contract to Lockheed Martin, Leonardo, and Airbus for future rotary-wing platforms. The Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability's (NGRC) concept studies have been awarded to three firms for $6.2 million with ongoing projects on next-generation rotary-wing platforms.
The concept study involves new platforms, manufacturing, and their operational concepts. Airbus has exhibited the latest iteration of its experimental RACER compound helicopter in FIA2024 with two pusher propellers and bi-plane wing extensions. The helicopter can reach a speed of 400 km/h, rivalling most propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft.
Additionally, the multi-national firm has published a concept art with the announcement regarding the NGRC contract, including a light compound helicopter armed with missiles and jointly operating with cargo UAVs, suggesting that a MUM-T capability is on the table. Having developed two prototypes, SB-1 Defiant and S-97 Raider with Sikorsky for the Future Vertical Lift programme,
Lockheed Martin might offer the cancelled designs again for the NGRC programme. S-97 Raider and the FARA future attack helicopter programme have been cancelled in favour of UAVs, while SB-1 Defiant lost to the tilt-rotor V-280 Valor of Bell. Both S-97 Raider and SB-1 Defiant are based on the X2 technology that combines co-axial rotors with a variable-pitch pusher propeller on the tail, granting speed and stability at high speeds.
Leonardo's approach to a future rotary-wing platform is more in parallel with Bell's with the AW609 tilt-rotor aircraft. The aircraft's certifications are ongoing, and recently, a landing test on the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour was performed.
