BELL HELICOPTER Textron has won a US Army contract, potentially worth $12 million, to develop advanced helicopter-transmissions.
The US manufacturer will validate significant advances in helicopter drive-system technology on a subsystem level. Transmission components could include accessory drives and input-module tail-rotor drive systems, as well as main gearboxes.
The US Department of Defense says that the project will include preliminary and detailed design efforts, component bench testing and durability testing. Special goals are a 25% weight reduction, 10dB noise suppression, and double the amount of mean time between removal of the drive system.
Source: Flight International