Nuclear Option: UH-90 Ibis
- Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- Oct 4
- 7 min read
Multirole Utility Helicopter
Nuclear Option by Shockfront Studios is truly a shining star in the indie flight game genre. A significant portion of this success being its stout, but quality selection of original design aircraft. Each aircraft represents specific types of common aircraft types and roles. Strike bombers, heavy lift aircraft, counter insurgency aircraft, and others. On September 18th, 2025, the 10th aircraft has joined the roster.
The UH-90 Ibis represents the utility helicopter portion of military aviation. Shockfront Studios revealed its development public on April 2nd, 2025 with the aircraft appearing in multiple developer livestreams up to its release in September of the same year.
Design
Nuclear Option has a heavy lift vertical lifter in the form of the VL-49 Tarantula, but the UH-90 now brings aircraft operations more in line with common rotary wing transports. Similar to the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk or the NHIndustries NH90. However, in the now classic Nuclear Option fashion, the developer has taken design cues from other uncommon aircraft and enmeshes them into a new, fictional design.
The design is inspired by aircraft prototypes developed for the now cancelled United States Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program and aircraft that took design cues from that program. Features of the Sikorsky X2 coaxial rotor compound helicopter lineage of aircraft, like the S-97 Raider, the SB>1 Defiant. The in-game encyclopedia entry for the aircraft mentions a 'fast vertical lift program', most likely a development program similar to FARA.
The rear of the fuselage is more cargo helicopter style. Like that of the Russian made Mil Mi-8 and Mi-26, capable of storing vehicles and large cargo pallets inside of them.
The UH-90 can transition from traditional vertical lift to cruising speed in forward flight in 30 seconds, reaching speeds as fast as 260kt. The two pusher props at the tail of the aircraft facilities stable hover and seem to negate vortex ring state, but do not prevent it completely. In forward flight, they are the primary propulsion system.
At the top of the aircraft is the compound rotor system, its most important facet. Even if the pusher fans are lost in combat, the aircraft can operate as a standard helicopter. These stacked, sturdy counter rotating main rotors can be folded, allowing the Ibis to operate from the hangars of Dynamo-class Destroyers. The aircraft is compact enough to land and resupply from Hyperion-class Aircraft Carriers, Annex-class Assault Ships and Shard-class Corvettes. This makes the Ibis a key part of large-scale naval operations.
During early testing, it was found that the rotors needed reinforcement as the top rotor assembly could rip away from the aircraft during high-G maneuvers.
The cargo hold is split into a Front Cargo Bay and Rear Cargo Bay. Depending on internal load, each bay can be configured differently. Some configurations require both bays to be occupied. This will be expanded upon in the Capabilities section of this article.
The outboard weapon stations can equip anti-tank missiles, laser rockets, 25mm autocannon gunpods or MANPAD style infrared missiles. These stations can also hold a pair of self-protection electronic countermeasure pods, which are vital for the aircraft to survive in high-end conflicts where active homing air-to-air missiles and radar guided surface-to-air missiles will be frequently present.
The middle of the fuselage has symmetrical door gun positions that can equip 12.7mm heavy machine guns or 40mm automatic grenade launchers. It should be noted that the AI crew of the UH-90 will operate the door guns and the gun pods automatically, without player input, unless the player selects these weapons and manually operates them.
CAPABILITIES
The mission roles the UH-90 Ibis can take up primarily rely on its cargo hold.
Cargo Hook
The belly mounted cargo hook can be extended up to 20 meters (65 feet). When deployed, the heads-up display shows a unique UI. First, players must target the item they want to carry. This will appear as a white hook icon on the screen. The center of the hook bullseye is the position of the hook beneath the aircraft. Lining up the hook icon in the bullseye will lead to a good hook if the players are also at the correct altitude. Be careful to not enter a vortex ring state situation while in hover during sling load operations.
Vehicle Transport
An M12 Jackknife remote controlled combat engineering vehicle can be stored internally, but due to its size it will occupy both the forward and rear bays. The ability to deploy the M12 is a strategic one, allowing the aircraft to support allied bases long-term.
The front and rear cargo bay can carry one Hexhound Uncrewed Ground Vehicle per bay. These remote controlled vehicles are harder to detect compared to human crew served vehicles.
The Hexhound comes in two configurations. SAM configuration with four short-range infrared missiles to attack air targets, or GMG configuration with an automatic 40mm grenade launcher capable of indirect fire against targets identified on datalink up to 2km away. Multiple Hexhounds can be placed at allied bases to increase their defenses, or they can be placed along overland routes to ambush hostiles.
Vehicles of certain weight can also be sling loaded beneath the aircraft with the dorsal winch.
Munitions Supply
The UH-90 Ibis can carry munition crates, which take up both cargo bays. This includes navalized containers with floats to keep the container on the ocean surface to resupply ships at sea - a vital function in Nuclear Option, as warships do not have the ability to rearm themselves at naval ports. As of update 0.31, munitions containers can be air dropped with parachutes or offloaded manually by landing on the ground to deliver them or hovering above the ocean surface to offload them.
Combat Search and Rescue
The size of the aircraft enables it to easily and quickly land near pilots that have ejected from their aircraft. The cargo winch can be used to pull pilots from the ocean or from especially hard to reach areas on land as well. The Ibis is a much better suited to this role as compared to its only other heavy lifter at this time, the VL-49 Tarantula.
Gunship
The Ibis can be pressed into a gunship role to remain in combat, but it does not have the armor to sustain direct hits even from small arms fire. It's best to engage from as much distance as possible.
While it does have door gun stations, they should be considered light attack weapons, if not defensive weapons.
The external weapon pylons are best used to assist the aircraft while it is loaded with cargo to enter contested areas. However, in a pure gunship configuration, it would be best to equip something besides anti-armor missiles. Why?
It's primary means of attack is the internally mounted AGM-48 missile launcher. When equipped, it takes up an entire cargo bay. This peculiar device is a rotary missile launcher which fires missiles out of the left side of the aircraft via a side kicking door. It jetisons the missile horizontally away from the aircraft before the rocket booster activates.
Base Capture
Before update 0.31, bases and buildings could only be captured by ground forces. Even after winning a hard won battle for a strategic area, players would need to hold the area until the next convoy of vehicles would trundle in to capture it. That or a VL-49 Tarantula would need to land and offload a light armored vehicle in the capture zone to capture and enemy or neutral location.
Now with the UH-90 the, the forward or rear cargo bay can be loaded with platoons of infantry. This utility helicopter can land and capture before land forces arrive. In tight battles to hold territory, this is a clutch capability. Mixing one bay with an infantry squad and another with a Hexhound UGV, a single Ibis can capture a location then immediately deploy at least one unit to defend it.
FLIGHT MODEL
Compared to the other rotary wing aircraft in the game, the Ibis is decently responsive on the throttle. Not as instant and powerful as the SAH-46 Chicane attack helicopter, but certainly more suited for combat maneuvering than the lumbering VL-49 Tarantula.
In full forward flight, the UH-90 maneuvers smoothly with easy to use roll and yaw characteristics. While its high speed can get it into combat faster than the attack helicopter, it's best to not over commit to a full-frontal attack.
While near top speed, it can more easily radar notch incoming missiles. Carrying an ECM pod in this situation is preferred, but with speed and low altitude maneuvering, it can be done consistently.
While it can lose lift when hovering by entering a vortex ring state, it's relatively easy to get out of by side slipping or gaining a few knots of speed.
Despite its complex propulsion systems, it is a rather stable aircraft. Its smooth flight handling makes it easy to fly and land, but it's not well suited for hard, immediate maneuvers.
Transitioning from forward flight to hovering, it's built up kinect energy can be used for a single high energy maneuver like a high G turn to evade or a J Hook turn to land rapidly.
The UH-90 Ibis was a long-awaited addition to Nuclear Option. The nuclear weapon friendly skies of this early access indie flight sim lite are now a home of - of all things - a utility helicopter. It is amazing to see how specialized aircraft continue to be added to this game's roster, allowing players to experience a variety of flight operations without needing a 40+ aircraft roster. I look forward to seeing the next aircraft.
About the Writer
Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. Read Staff Profile.
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