Posted on 12/05/2022 4:46:31 PM PST by e_castillo
PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) announced today that Bell Textron Inc., a Textron company, has been awarded the development contract for the U.S. Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. The award is based on Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor that was developed and tested as part of the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) program that began in 2013. The V-280 progressed through design, manufacturing, and more than three years of rigorous flight testing that provided extensive data validating the technical and operational advantages of the aircraft for the long-range assault mission.
"We are honored that the U.S. Army has selected the Bell V-280 Valor as its next-generation assault aircraft," said Scott C. Donnelly, Textron’s chairman and chief executive officer. "We intend to honor that trust by building a truly remarkable and transformational weapon system to meet the Army’s mission requirements. We are excited to play an important role in the future of Army Aviation."
“This is an exciting time for the U.S. Army, Bell, and Team Valor as we modernize the Army’s aviation capabilities for decades to come,” said Mitch Snyder, president and CEO of Bell. “Bell has a long history supporting Army Aviation and we are ready to equip Soldiers with the speed and range they need to compete and win using the most mature, reliable, and affordable high-performance long-range assault weapon system in the world.”
This award builds on a decade of the V-280 Valor’s progress through design, manufacturing, and thorough testing to demonstrate that this aircraft will deliver on the FLRAA program requirements. Bell and its industry partners have systematically validated the V-280 aircraft and their modular open systems approach in collaboration with the Army.
The initial contract refines the weapon system design, sustainment, digital enterprise, manufacturing, systems integration, flight-testing, and airworthiness qualification.
(Excerpt) Read more at businesswire.com ...
hmmm... this is after the army rejected the V22 back then? Why would we need another tilt rotor?
The Sikorsky push contra rotors was better for nimble small wooded area penetration. This thing needs a baseball field to land
I agree.
I realize the Air Force wouldn’t stand for it, but wouldn’t the Army be better served with airplanes as assault aircraft?
The Army must present their case to Lockheed Martin/Boeing and show them exactly where Bell Textron met or exceeded what parameters and where LM/B fell short.
If Lockheed throws the red flag on the field the umpires get like 90 days to review both submittals again.
Picture "Apocalypse Now" with the air filled with Ospreys instead of Hueys.
The 280 may look cool, but I cannot see them coming in hot and fast to a contested LZ.
Yikes!
How many troops does it hold? Is there a gunship version? It needs a cloaking device!
Rolls Royce AE1107 turbine power. Made in Indianapolis.
Flies close to 300 knots, 800 mile range. Both specs double that of the Blackhawk. Holds about 25% more crew & cargo than the Blackhawk as well.
Flying for 8 hrs in that thing would be an awful experience.
“800 mile range”
nautical miles, that is.
The “Valor”? How about some cool aircraft names again? Army helicopters are supposed to be named after Indians. They couldn’t strike a deal with some tribe for their blessing?
At least it’s not like the Navy with Harvey Milk and Carl Levin....
Are they tranny-friendly?
I believe that’s a company name.
There will be a gunship version,yes. You could even stick in the same gun as an A-10.
Targeting being designed by clever Israelis with heads up helmets that let you see right through the bird itself.
The engines do not tilt.
The driveshaft and prop tilts. One engine can run both rotors because there is a driveshaft linking both.
Is this in addition to the Osprey?
The v-280 seats 14 where the Osprey seats 24.
240 troops vs 140 seems a big deal to me, but then the
range of this one looks to be much farther. (per ten
aircraft delivering in a group)
Are these two competing, or do they both have a role to play? The Osprey may be limited to mid range say 250
miles out and 250 back.
As I understand it they can both travel much vaster than
a large helicopter delivering troops way out side the
helicopter’s range with a large payload.
Anyone disagreeing with this please chime in. I’d like
to understand exactly what’s going on here.
It is the mission they have to accomplish.
The number one mistake most military brass and Monday morning quarterbacks make is they are fighting the LAST WAR not the next one.
I don’t think the us Army is ever going to do a Vietnam again.
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