Driving the news: Boeing unveiled its CxR concept at the Association of the United States Army annual trade show.
How it works: CxR has a modular core that can meet a range of UAS missions — from attack, security, and Recon Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RTSA), to contested logistics and maritime strike.
- The “x” in CxR stands for ‘transformational’ and represents the vast number of missions that the core system can adapt to — such as a Collaborative Combat Rotorcraft, which can perform as an AH-64 Apache’s “loyal wingman,” or as a Collaborative Logistics Rotorcraft in partnership with a Chinook.
- CxR is “expeditionary” — it can be organized quickly and sent to austere, or difficult, locations and can operate for a period without extensive outside support. That’s important because it moves the aircraft to or around the theater rapidly and efficiently.
- CxR will have flexible payloads which includes advanced sensors, launched effects, munitions and electronic warfare equipment.
What’s next: Boeing is optimizing the concept and configuration, focusing on the fastest delivery timeline while keeping down cost.
The bottom line: “The unique advantages of a modular, tiltrotor concept can provide our customers with a proven high-speed vertical takeoff and landing option that also maintains the low-speed handling qualities that are comparable to a helicopter,” said Chris Speights, Boeing’s vertical lift chief engineer. “Our CxR concept has the potential to meet any number of mission requirements across all the service branches.”
