The contractors offering the US101 aircraft to the Air Force for its CSAR-X program say their vehicle employs a unique rotor design, called the British Experimental Rotor Program (BERP) to prevent brownouts—dust that can envelop an aircraft. At a briefing for reporters May 31, Terry Higginbotham, Agusta Westland’s managing director, commented that brownout prevention came as a surprise, but it is so important that DOD has its researchers studying whether it can be replicated for other helicopters. Among other features, Higginbotham noted that although the US101 has three engines, it could operate with only two. Lockheed Martin is prime contractor for the US101 team, which also include Bell Helicopter.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
