Renowned US helicopter manufacturer Bell Textron this week unveiled design concepts for future high-speed vertical take-off and landing (HSVTOL) aircraft. These design concepts make use of technologies being developed by the company, which is part of the Textron group. HSVTOL technology would allow Bell to develop aircraft that would combine the ability to hover like a helicopter with the capabilities of a fighter aircraft, including speed, survivability and range. The design concepts possess cruise speeds of more than 400 knots, true independence from runways, ability to maintain sustained hovering flight, low downwash while hovering, and scalability across a wide range of missions, from personnel recovery using an uncrewed air vehicle, to tactical mobility. And the gross weights of the design concept aircraft could range from 4 000 lbs (1 814 kg) to more than 100 000 lbs (45 359 kg).
