Bell and Sikorsky have been both awarded around $290.000.000 modification contract for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft competitive demonstration.

Bell Textron and Sikorsky have both been awarded around $290.000.000 modification contract for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction Phase 2.

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The two companies are competing for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program (Picture source: Bell / Sikorsky)

Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $292,647,481 modification (P00006) to contract W9124-P1-99-0001 for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction Phase 2.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $284,393,040 modification (P00006) to contract W912-4P-199-0001 for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction Phase 2.

The two companies are competing for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. 

FLRAA will provide the Joint Force with an aircraft that possesses increased speed, range, survivability, and maneuverability to allow the Army to retain overmatch against enemy forces in ever-changing environments. It will provide power projection from relative sanctuary with significantly increased range, speed, mobility, and payload capabilities over current Army and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) aircraft.

This medium lift, tactical assault and medical evacuation capability will augment the Army’s H-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter fleet to provide Combat Aviation Brigades with long-range, high-speed options that are survivable in contested environments. FLRAA will provide the Army and Joint Force with an advanced vertical lift aircraft that possesses advanced technologies to support MDO from 2030 and beyond.

Bell Textron is working on the  Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft. 

The Bell V-280 was developed using the technology of tiltrotor aircraft like the V-22 Osprey. It has a cruising speed of 520 km/h, a top speed of 560 km/h, a range of 3,900 km, and an effective combat range from 930 to 1,480 km. It has been designed to perform a wide range of missions as air assault, Special OPs, attack, MEDEVAC and utility helicopter. 

The V-280 will have a crew of four and be able to transport up to 14 troops. Dual cargo hooks will give it a lift capacity to carry 4,500 kg with a flying speed of 280 km/h. The fuselage looks similar to the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. According to Bell, the V-280 is a multirole helicopter that can be configured for utility and attack missions. A single airframe is used to interchange payloads for either mission. The V-280 has retractable landing gear, a triple-redundant fly by a wire control system, and a V-tail configuration. The wings are made of a single section of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite, reducing weight and production costs.

According to Bell, AV-280 variant can launch rockets, missiles, and even small unmanned aerial vehicles forward or aft with no rotor interference, even in forward flight and cruise modes with the rotors forward.

V-280 (Picture source: Bell)

On the other side, Sikorsky (a Lockheed Martin company) is working with Boeing  on the Defiant X helicopter.

Defiant X flies twice as far and fast as the venerable UH60 Black Hawk helicopter it is designed to replace. 

With its rigid coaxial rotor system and pusher propeller, Defiant X incorporates Sikorsky X2 Technology to operate at high speeds while maintaining low-speed handling qualities. This critical capability provides Soldiers with increased maneuverability and survivability in high-threat air defense environments, allowing them to penetrate enemy defenses while reducing exposure to enemy fire. Compared to SB>1 Defiant (first prototype) , the Defiant X airframe has enhancements to improve aerodynamics and reduce the thermal signature requirements.

SB-1 Defiant (Picture source: Sikorsky)