March 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace
by David Donald
- March 17, 2020, 11:44 AM
The U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program has made significant progress with the March 16 award of contracts to bidders Bell and Sikorsky/Boeing. The contracts cover competitive demonstration and risk reduction (CD&RR) work associated with the Bell V-280 Valor and Sikorsky/Boeing SB>1 Defiant. With the awards, these two types become the official contenders for the FLRAA selection, which is intended to find a replacement for the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.
The contracts have been awarded via the Other Transaction Authority (OTA) channel, which is more flexible than the traditional Department of Defense contractual process, and which does not require the Army to release contract values. Over two years, the companies will produce conceptual designs and perform risk and trade studies, leading to the launch of a full program of record competition and down-select in 2022. The winning FLRAA design is scheduled to enter service around 2030.
Both Bell and Sikorsky/Boeing will draw on the large amounts of flight data amassed with the V-280 and SB>1 prototypes, which were produced for the Army's Joint Multirole Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) trials. Whereas a majority of JMR-TD work was company-funded, the DoD is providing around two-thirds of the funding for the CD&RR phase.
The V-280 Valor first flew in December 2017 and has now amassed more than 170 hours. It has reached its intended optimal cruise speed of 280 knots, with a top speed of over 300. The SB>1 first flew in March 2019 but was temporarily grounded soon after as a technical issue encountered with a ground testbed was resolved. It returned to the air in September and has been flying regularly since. The aim is to push its speed envelope out to at least 250 knots.
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November 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval
Posted on November 18, 2020 by Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor ARLINGTON, Va. — The next generation of executive transport helicopter for the president of the United States is planned for Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in July 2021, a Navy spokeswoman said, but the decision of when to place the aircraft in service will be determined by the White House. The VH-92A, built by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin company, was selected in 2014 to replace the VH-3D and VH-60N helicopter fleet used to transport the president and other government executives. Six VH-92As were ordered in 2019. Followed by six more in February 2020. Total inventory will be 23 VH-92A aircraft, comprised of 21 operational fleet aircraft and two test aircraft. The presidential helicopter fleet is operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One, based at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Va., with a detachment at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington. “Government testing to validate system performance and prepare for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation is progressing on schedule and will support an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) planned for July 2021,” the Navy spokeswoman said. “The VH-92A will enter service post IOC at the determination of the White House Military Office.” https://seapowermagazine.org/marines-presidential-helicopter-headed-for-ioc-in-july/