Page 84 - World Airnews Magazine April 2020 Edition

NEWS DIGITAL

SIKORSKY, BELL WIN U.S. ARMY

FLRAA AWARDS

By Lee Hudson

The V-280

Lockheed's Sikorsky SB Defiant

that reached 300 kt, while Sikorsky/Boeing FLRAA’s technology readiness level (TRL)
built the SB-1 Defiant that was designed to decided most areas were a TRL 6 or 7, while
some were rated a 5, Rugen previously
The US army has awarded Sikorsky reach at least 250 kt. said. This resulted in the Army’s decision to
(US) $97 million and Bell (US) $84 million During development the Valor logged conduct the two-year CD&RR phase to raise
for Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft more flight time than the Defiant. But the TRLs to between 7 and 9 before entering a
Army was comfortable with the amount of
(FLRAA) competitive demonstration and data the Defiant team submitted. programme of record.
risk reduction (CD&RR), the service’s “With the iron bird approach that Boeing, “We see this as a good competition
project manager said. Sikorsky went forward with, even though between two vendors that are moving
There is a (US) $7 million difference in there was no flight time associated with forward and executing what we need them
the project agreements. That is because that … a tremendous amount of data came to do,” Mason said.
although the scope of each proposal out of that,” Walter Rugen, Future Vertical Rugen echoed those comments. “The
was similar, the companies had different Lift cross functional team director, said proof is in the pudding,” he said, as the
technical and costing approaches and during a briefing. Army accelerated FLRAA by four years in
phasing of work, David Phillips, FLRAA “The flight envelope continues to expand the fiscal 2021 budget request.
project manager, said. for Sikorsky/Boeing. They’re flying a bit The service intends to make FLRAA a
The Army issued the project agreements more aggressively now than the V-280, programme of record in fiscal 2022. At
under the Aviation and Missile Technology and as the JMR finishes up toward the end that point, other vendors could enter the
Consortium Other Transaction Authority. of this fiscal year, maybe August, we’re competition and bid on follow-on efforts.
The companies will deliver initial con- going to see very comparable data on both FLRAA is intended to replace the Sikorsky
ceptual designs, requirements feasibility sides.” UH-60 Black Hawk. The intent is to have the
and trade studies over two years. This risk The Army does not always value every first unit equipped in fiscal 2030. The Army
reduction work will feed into final require- single hour of flight time. It depends on requested (US) $134.4 million in fiscal 2021
ments before kicking off a programme of what was executed during each flight. This and (US) $2.44 billion over fiscal 2021-25
record in 2022. is also how the service feels about model- for the effort. Q
Two advanced rotorcraft were construct- ing and simulation. It is more about the test *Lee Hudson is based in Washington. She
ed for the Army’s Joint Multirole (JMR) programme, Patrick Mason, programme covers the Pentagon for Aviation Week.
technology demonstrator, the precursor to executive officer for aviation, said. Article courtesy www.aviationweek.
FLRAA. Bell manufactured the V-280 Valor A Pentagon independent review of com

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