June 19, 2023 | International, Aerospace
Reveal of French-made combat drone stirs up industry
The Aarok is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) combat drone, designed and made in France by Turgis & Gaillard.
September 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace
Bell teams with Collins Aerospace to deliver a high-performance solution for U.S. Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft
Fort Worth, Texas (September 26, 2019) – Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced a teaming agreement with Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), as Bell competes for the U.S. Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) Competitive Prototype program.
Bell is designing a vertical lift aircraft, as part of the contract awarded in April of 2019, with advanced performance capabilities and high operational availability to meet the threats faced in multidomain operations. As the mission systems integrator, Collins Aerospace will deliver a new generation of avionics hardware and software featuring cyber-hardened and digital backbone solutions to the prototype.
“This team has a lot of experience supporting attack reconnaissance requirements and will deliver a smart, lethal aircraft at an affordable cost,” said Keith Flail, vice president of Advanced Vertical Lift Systems at Bell. “The Army is looking for revolutionary solutions for warfighters and we are confident that our team has the right combination of innovative technology and experience to build an aircraft with transformative capabilities on a compressed timeline.”
Collins Aerospace will also provide Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and processes to configure and integrate mission avionics for the FARA. The company's use of the new MBSE methodologies will enable rapid mission capability insertions into the FARA platform.
“By teaming with Bell, we can reduce the overall lifecycle costs and risks associated with this next generation of aircraft and effectively meet the FARA objectives in multidomain threat environments,” said Dave Schreck, vice president and general manager for Military Avionics and Helicopters at Collins Aerospace. “With a long history of providing avionics solutions to both Army and Special Operations aviators, Collins Aerospace is uniquely positioned to provide Bell with the cutting-edge cockpit technology necessary to enable warfighter mission success.”
Although the configuration has not yet been revealed, the Bell FARA prototype takes advantage of technologies demonstrated on the V-280 Valor, Bell 525 and other Bell programs incorporating expertise in fly-by-wire flight controls, rotors and drives, as well as design to build technology that enhances sustainability, manufacturability and affordability. This team has the experience to produce an affordable, high-performance aircraft at reduced technical risk that will meet or exceed all requirements and provide reliable capability to the warfighter.
To learn more about Bell and Future Vertical Lift, please visit https://www.bellflight.com/, and follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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October 8, 2019 | International, Aerospace
United Technologies nets $325.2M contract for F-35 depot maintenance
ByEd Adamczyk Oct. 7 (UPI) -- The Pratt & Whitney division of United Technologies Corp. was awarded a potential four-year, $325.2 million contract for aircraft maintenance equipment for the F-35 fighter aircraft. The contract, announced by the Defense Department on Friday, calls for UTC to provide material and support equipment for depot maintenance facilities, as well as non-recurring sustainment activities, supplies, services and planning for depot activations. It also includes two F135 full-scale mockup engines and four modules for test activities in support of the F-35 Lightning II Program. Work will be performed largely at UTC's Oklahoma City facility, as well as in several other locations within the United States and in foreign countries, and is expected to conclude in 2023. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement funds of the Navy, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as those of non-Defense Department agencies and foreign buyers of the F-35, will pay for the contract, the Pentagon said. The F-35 has been in service since 2015 and is currently in the fleets of, or with purchases planned by, 12 nations. Built by Lockheed Martin with UTC as a major subcontractor, the plane is a single engine, fifth-generation stealth combat aircraft designed for ground-attack and air-superiority missions. Currently regarded as the world's most advanced fighter plane, its F135 engine delivers over 40,000 lbs. of thrust and has been included on each of the 425 F-35s manufactured thus far. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/10/07/United-Technologies-nets-3252M-contract-for-F-35-depot-maintenance
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October 4, 2019 | International, Aerospace
Meggitt Awarded $48 million contract for supply of Aerial Weapons Scoring Systems to the US Army
October 4, 2019 - Meggitt PLC, a leading international company specializing in high performance components and sub-systems for the aerospace, defence and energy markets, has secured an IDIQ contract valued at $48million for the supply of Aerial Weapons Scoring Systems (AWSS) to the US Army. This full-service contract will be supplied by Meggitt's specialist defence division in Irvine, California, and includes product development, training, installation, field and cyber support, maintenance and repairs. AWSS provides essential gunnery training for defence customers worldwide, ensuring safe, efficient operation of targeting systems. “Our AWSS technology enables gunnery crews to simulate real-life defence scenarios, providing essential training and ensuring safe, optimal performance of all equipment. We are proud that our technology has been selected by the US Army and we look forward to working closely with local teams as we roll out our AWSS solution.” said Gerry Janicki, Vice President Strategy for Meggitt Defense Systems Inc. Enquiries: Kathryn Moss Group Director of Communications Meggitt PLC Tel: +44 (0) 7464 677987 Email: press.office@meggitt.com About Meggitt PLC Headquartered in the United Kingdom, this international group operates in North America, Europe and Asia. Known for its specialised extreme environment engineering, Meggitt is a world leader in aerospace, defence and energy. Meggitt employs more than 12,000 people at over 40 manufacturing facilities and regional offices worldwide. https://www.meggitt.com/news/meggitt-awarded-48-million-contract-for-supply-of-aerial-weapons-scoring-systems-to-the-us-army/