Entered service in 1979, the UH-60 Black Hawk is nearing the end of its life cycle.

The Pentagon announced the winner of the competition for the successor to the iconic helicopter.

After an extremely strenuous and lengthy period of flight testing spread over several years, the US Army selected Bell's advanced V-280 Valor tiltrotor.

Tiltrotors are considered by many to be hybrids between an airplane and a helicopter.

This is due to the fact that their rotors are mounted on rotating nacelles.

The aircraft resembles a propeller plane at high speed.

When needed to slow down and circle in one place, the wing nacelle rotates and the rotors point straight up.

According to the engineers, the similarities with a helicopter are much greater, reports dir.bg.

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The V-280 Valor will enter serial production at the end of this decade, with mass rearmament expected to occur around the mid-2030s.

So far, the Bell V-280 Valor has a top speed of 520 km/h, but it is expected to be capable of at least 560 km/h.

Conventional helicopters cannot come close to this speed. 

Valor's first flight took place on December 18, 2017 and has since logged more than 200 hours in the air.

In addition to its high speed, the helicopter has impressed the Pentagon with its economy and maneuverability.

The helicopter can carry 14 soldiers and besides them there is a crew of 4 pilots.

Its combat radius is 1480 km.

With a speed of 280 km/h, the helicopter can also carry one M777 cannon or other cargo up to 4500 kg.

The price of one unit of the tiltrotor is expected to cost as much as one UH-60 Black Hawk.

Israel is a key partner in the project and may also acquire the helicopter.

USA

military helicopter