Army picks Bell, Sikorsky to design, test prototypes for future vertical lift program
The U.S. Army has selected Bell of Fort Worth and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. of Connecticut to move forward with attack reconnaissance aircraft prototypes under the vertical lift program.
“Our focus is on delivering capability for our Soldiers at the speed of relevance,” Gen. John M. Murray, Army Futures Command commanding general, said in a statement. “We’re doing that here — providing opportunities for our industry partners to design, test, and build capability alongside our Soldiers to ensure that we win on a future battlefield.”
The Army’s announcement this week means the two companies will move forward to finish detailed designs of “their air vehicle solutions.” The companies also will build and test the aircraft. Officials plan to perform a flight test evaluation no later than the fall of 2023.
“The Army’s decision to select Fort Worth’s very own Bell and Sikorsky-Boeing for continued development of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft solidifies their commitment to modernizing Army aviation,” U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, the ranking member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement.
“The Army’s Future Vertical Lift program can rely on over 135,000 hardworking, patriotic North Texans making up our region’s strong defense aviation industry,” she said. “I am especially proud that our North Texas defense aviation workforce continues to work and fight for our national defense during these trying times.”
Granger noted that both companies chosen are “strong partners in modernizing our military and will help keep our nation and allies safe while employing hardworking Texans during this difficult time for our Nation.”
Earlier this year, Granger and military officials gathered at the Bell flight research center in Arlington to watch a 15-minute demonstration of the Bell V-280 Valor, a tilt-rotor aircraft that the company hopes the Army will select to replace the aging Black Hawk helicopters.
Bell displayed how the aircraft could hover, take off, land, move forward and backward. It can fly up to 345 mph.
