Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, and Boeing provided the first look at the SB-1 Defiant helicopter the companies have developed for the U.S. Army's Joint Multi-Role technology demonstrator program, the helicopter maker said on December 26, 2018.

Sikorsky and Boeing provided the first look at the new SB-1 Defiant helicopter
(Credit: Sikorsky-Boeing Team)

The SB-1 Defiant is designed to fly at twice the speed and range of today's conventional helicopters and offers advanced agility and maneuverability. It will help inform the next generation of military helicopters as part of the U.S. Army's Future Vertical Lift program.

The helicopter is participating in the Army's Joint Multi-Role-Medium Technology Demonstrator program. Data from SB-1 Defiant will help the Army develop requirements for new utility helicopters expected to enter service in the early 2030s.

This first look happens as the SB-1 Defiant’s first flight is likely to be delayed until 2019 after problems were discovered within the aircraft’s testbed, the FlightGlobal newspaper unveiled on December, 12. Delays to the SB-1 Defiant maiden flight come after its main contender, the Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor, has been flying for about a year and in May achieved a top speed of 352km/h.