The team of Advanced Tactics Inc (AT) of Torrance, California and Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Co. (Rotor X) of Chandler, Arizona unveiled their design concept for a new family of aircraft for military and commercial applications called the Barracuda. The AT/Rotor X Barracuda HSVTOL aircraft combines the hover capability of a helicopter with jet-like forward flight speed, extended long-range, and versatility of a light strike/fighter aircraft.
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The AT/Rotor X Barracuda High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) aircraft combines the hover capability of a helicopter with forward flight speed, extended long-range, and versatility of a light strike/fighter aircraft (Picture source:Advanced Tactics and Rotor X)
The Barracuda HSVTOL cruises three times faster than the current USAF rescue helicopter HH-60 Pavehawk and has four times the range – with jet-like speeds. The commercial applications range from small package delivery to cross-country hub-and-spoke distribution, to air taxi and commuter passenger service, to heavy industry and mining logistics.
AT is the technology developer providing over 14 years of innovation of next-generation vertical lift aircraft, and over 10 years of Barracuda technology testing. Rotor X, a company with over 50 years of helicopter manufacturing experience, will be the primary manufacturer for all the components of the Barracuda. The AT/Rotor X team will jointly assemble and test the Barracuda prototypes.
The Barracuda HSVTOL technology is a dramatic improvement in rotorcraft capabilities. The Barracuda HSVTOL technology eliminates the risk in rapid development of this HSVTOL aircraft because of its simple rugged design, its use of commercially available components, and use digital engineering and manufacturing systems. The AT/Rotor X team will be joined by the Georgia Institute of Technology (GaTech), School of Aerospace Engineering, Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence (VLRCOE) for aerodynamics and structural analysis.
The Barracuda HSVTOL design described below is being considered by the U.S. Air Force, and has the following features:
- Very-low downwash in hover (less than V-22 and other 2-engine tilt-rotor aircraft)
- No cross-shafting and heavy, complex gearboxes (unlike other 2-engine tilt-rotor aircraft)
- Capable of emergency landing vertically with half power, and cruising with a single engine
- Jet-like cruise speed of over 400 kts
- Greater than 12,500 lb. useful load, or 14 seats (passengers and crew)
- Fully loaded VTOL range of more than 2,400 nm and STOL range of more than 3,200 nm
- Runway independence for land and Naval operations
- Self-deployable, and mid-air refueling capable
- Family of aircraft (pictured below) scalable from 30 lbs. to over 200,000 lbs.
The Barracuda HSVTOL family of aircraft can support a wide spectrum of missions including unmanned ISR, land and ocean personnel recovery, SOF infiltration/exfiltration support, tactical mobility, logistics, armed close air support, and strike. The AT/Rotor X team is ready to evolve the Barracuda HSVTOL technology to serve the immediate and future needs of the nation’s warfighters.
The AT/Rotor X team also has designs for the Barracuda HSVTOL family of aircraft suited to jobs such as long-range runway-independent commuter and air-taxi service, industrial and mining logistics, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime patrol and rescue.
