The Army had initiated the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) program to develop the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne for the anti-tank gunship role, but development of the Cheyenne did not go smoothly, and as one writer put it, "the vultures began to gather", with Sikorsky and Bell trying to sell unsolicited alternatives to the Army.
The US Army's efforts to develop the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) program led to the creation of the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne for anti-tank purposes, but the project encountered challenges, prompting one commentator to observe that "the vultures began to gather", with Sikorsky and Bell trying to market their own unrequested alternatives to the Army.