Defense Secretary Robert Gates has directed a new, sweeping assessment of the U.S. military's vertical-lift needs, aiming to harmonize -- where possible -- service-specific requirements in a bid to map a coherent acquisition path for all future helicopter and tiltrotor acquisitions. In response to a request by lawmakers whose constituents include helicopter builders Boeing and Bell Textron, Gates has directed the Pentagon's acquisition shop to spearhead a comprehensive review of the U.S. military's rotorcraft needs, but stopped short of establishing...
