First introduced to the U.S. Army in 1979, the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk (or simply Black Hawk) has since become one of the most prolific helicopters of all time. Used by over 28 different countries worldwide, it’s served in combat as everything from troop transport to an evacuation platform to an emergency supply delivery vehicle. To put it another way — it’s not for nothing that it’s still in operation.
However, Boeing and Sikorsky feel that it’s time to send the Black Hawk off to greener pastures (after all, it is a 40-year-old helicopter). The good news is that its successor — dubbed the DEFIANT X — is well-prepared to pick up the mantel. Billed as “the fastest, most maneuverable, and most survivable assault helicopter in history,” it’ll be able to fly not only twice as far but also twice as fast as the Black Hawk it’s replacing. And because of its Sikorsky X2 rigid coaxial rotor system and pusher propeller technology, it’ll be able to fly much lower through harry terrain, with the added bonus of being able to land and take off far more quickly. Although it’s still in the developmental stages, the Army should write up a contract come 2022.
