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Old February 13th 17, 02:53 AM posted to sci.space.policy
William Mook[_2_]
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Default Musk remains on Advisory Council

Consider the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne - a compound helicopter configuration that gave the aircraft tremendous range and speed for a helicopter. It was also heavily armed!

Specifications (AH-56A)
Data from Jane's Aircraft and WarbirdTech AH-56A
General characteristics

Crew: Two; one pilot, one copilot/gunner (front seat)
Length: 54 ft 8 in (16.66 m)
Rotor diameter: 51 ft 3 in (15.62 m)
Height: 13 ft 8.5 in (4.18 m)
Empty weight: 12,215 lb (5,540 kg)
Loaded weight: 18,300 lb (8,300 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 25,880 lb (11,740 kg)
Rotor systems: 4 blades on main rotor, 4 blades on tail rotor, 3 blades on pusher propeller
Powerplant: 1 × General Electric T64-GE-16 turboshaft, 3,925 shp (2,930 kW)
Performance

Maximum speed: 212 knots (244 mph, 393 km/h)
Cruise speed: 195 knots (225 mph, 362 km/h)
Range: 1,063 nmi (1,225 mi, 1,971 km)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Rate of climb: 3,000 ft/min (15.23 m/s)
Armament

Guns:
1 × nose turret with either an M129 40 mm (1.57 in) grenade launcher or an XM196 7.62×51mm machine gun and
1 × belly turret with an XM140 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon
Hardpoints: 6
Rockets: 2.75 in (70 mm) FFA rockets
Missiles: BGM-71 TOW missiles

There are 10 Cheyennes floating around, and with a 375 unit order cancelled, lots of spare parts and pieces as well.

Boeing's unmanned Little Bird was brought to flight readiness in a matter of months. It should be possible to do the same with Cheyenne, but with better computing platforms, greater capabilities! Including automatic weapon control! Which could be useful for defence as well as collecting unpaid bills!

Furthermore, the GE T-64 turboshaft engine the powers the Cheyenne, has already been modified to operate with hydrogen fuel!

https://www.netl.doe.gov/publication...y/Anderson.pdf

For anyone familiar with the Breguet Range Equation you know using a fuel with 141.8 MJ/kg specific energy to replace the 42.6 MJ/kg jet fuel, increases payload and/or range, with the hardpoints on the Cheyenne its easy to see a zero boil off cryogenic tank could easily be added to the system, and range could be increased to 6,000 km and more - with the same payload as now.. Getting rid of the more expensive missile systems, and maintaining an automatic cannon, still makes this a formidable unmanned drone for exotic delivery missions!