Bell proposes to place the crew of the 360 Invictus helicopter in place of missile launchers
Bell has come up with an interesting way to solve the problem of lack of crew space in the prospective 360 Invictus helicopter. This is reflected in one of the patents.
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The company wants to implement in the attack helicopter modular design. This will, in particular, make it possible to transport military personnel from the outside. It is assumed that, if necessary, the passenger module will be installed instead of missile launchers and hidden in the weapons compartment.
The patent application states that such a system would allow for the transport of eight soldiers or two wounded soldiers with stretchers. To realise this approach, not only would the missile unit have to be dispensed with, but also the wings, which provide lift under heavy load.
This option can be useful, as attack and reconnaissance helicopters are not able to boast such capabilities, putting fighters in danger. Still, the functionality of the 360 Invictus will be limited when compared to platforms that are designed specifically for evacuation and troop transport.
Source: The War Zone