The U.S. Army is poking around the market for their next high-speed helicopter. It recently chose the JMR MPS design put forth by AVX Aircraft Company, for their Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) program.
The AVX design is the third to join the Army's program, with veteran helicopter makers Bell and a joint Sikorsky/Boeing already in the mix. By the program's end, the U.S. Army will have their new attack chopper. And if all goes well, the new bird might just be a replacement not only for the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk, but for the Boeing AH-64 Apache as well.
AVX's JMR MPS features a sleek, low-drag profile, which incorporates a number of weapons bay doors that function to conceal payload until the appropriate moment. Targets may be entirely unaware if the helicopter is an assault aircraft or a similarly-designed cargo variant.
In addition to the numerous weapons bays which can house all manner of rockets and other explosives, the JMR MPS features a 30mm gun with 360-degrees of coverage and two side guns. The utility version is equally customizable, with options for troop transport, FAST rope provisions, additional fuel cells and a 13,000-pound external load capacity.
AVX is in negotiations with the Army to receive a JMR-TD contract by September. The Army is then slated to select the final design from within the program for deployment in the 2030s.
Via FlightGlobal
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