 Based on the guidance from the Secretary of the Army , CDC established Qualitative Material Development Objectives ( QMDO ) for a rotary @-@ wing aircraft with 195 @-@ knot ( 224 mph , 361 km / h ) cruise speed , 220 @-@ knot ( 253 mph , 407 km / h ) dash speed , and the capability to hover out @-@ of @-@ ground @-@ effect ( OGE ) at 6 @,@ 000 feet ( 1 @,@ 830 m ) on a 95 ° F ( 35 ° C ) day . The speed requirements were derived from the speed of aircraft the helicopter would escort . The Director of Defense Research and Engineering ( DDRE ) conditionally approved the changes to the development objectives , pending his review of the proposed program . He also directed the Army to determine whether or not any other helicopter could offer an improvement in performance over the UH @-@ 1B in the meantime . 
