ARMAMENTS

Bell’s tiltrotor, the V-280 Valor, finished its flying career last summer, according to the company’s announcement.

The demonstrator at issue, which resembles the V-22 Osprey of the US Marines, was built for the US Army Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator program and flew for the first time in December 2017. It spent the last three-and-half years proving out the service’s requirements for a Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).

The US Army is close to releasing its decision for the FLRAA program within 2022 . Bell is competing against the Sikorsky-Boeing team that also flew a JMR technology demonstrator — the SB-1 Defiant coaxial helicopter (now called DEFIANT X). 

Also read: Lockheed Martin | SB>1 Defiant – Surpassing the top speed of the legendary Black Hawk with 205 Knots-VIDEOS

The technical features of V-280 Valor include:

• Speed: >280 knots
• Combat Range (unrefueled): 500+ nm
• Troop Capacity: 12
• Payload: 12,000+ lbs
• High/Hot Hover Out of Ground Effect (HOGE) 
• Reduced complexity, affordable manufacturing, and sustainment costs
• Enhanced situational awareness 
• 30% increase in cabin volume compared to the current fleet
• Digital fly-by-wire flight control system
• Low-speed agility

The US Army is on a path to procure two new vertical lift platforms by 2030, pursuing a future attack reconnaissance aircraft through the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program, in addition to FLRAA. The goal is to produce two new types of platforms with clearly enhanced capabilities (including higher speeds) compared to existing means so as to replace the existing fleet.

Also read: BELL 360 INVICTUS | Bell’s proposal for FARA program at an advanced stage of implementation