In a surprise move, the U.S. Army is seeking information on a high-speed light scout/utility air vehicle as well as a medium-lift attack/transport rotorcraft under the Defense Department’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) “family of systems” initiative.
The Army on Feb. 22 released requests for information (RFI) for FVL Capability Set 1 (CS1) as well as the anticipated Capability Set 3 (CS3), also referred to as the FVL Medium and billed as replacing first the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk from the mid-2030s and then the BoeingAH-64 Apache.
Under the precursor to FVL Medium, the Joint Multi Role (JMR) technology demonstration, Bell Helicopter and Boeing/Sikorsky are building transport-configured high-speed rotorcraft flight demonstrators that are scheduled to fly in late 2017.
The RFI describes CS1 as “the smallest, most agile air vehicle” in the FVL family, which will conduct “reconnaissance, light attack and light assault/lift operations.” The Army is seeking information on “commercial, commercial-modified, military or conceptual air vehicle technologies.”
Draft capabilities sought include “terrain-following/terrain-avoidance at speeds greater than 200 kt.” over a minimum unrefueled radius of 229 nm. The speed requirement rules out conventional helicopters, but can be met by Sikorsky’s coaxial rigid-rotor compound S-97 Raider.
Sikorsky designed the 220-kt. Raider to meet the Army’s Armed Aerial Scout requirement to replace the Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, but the procurement was shelved and the OH-58Ds are being retired and replaced with re-roled AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.
There are two industry-funded Raider prototypes. The first took to the air in May 2015 and is being used for envelope expansion. The second will be used for customer demonstrations, and Sikorsky is working with new owner Lockheed Martin to define the mission-system technologies to be demonstrated.
Other capabilities outlined for the six-passenger CS1 air vehicle include maneuver agility, hover out of ground effect (HOGE) at 6,000 ft. on a 95F day (called 6k/95), and a time on station of 2 hr. at 170 nm for the recon/attack mission and 30 min. at 229 nm for assault missions. Aerial refueling and shipboard capability are sought.
“There is no guarantee that the CS 1 program will advance to an acquisition phase based upon the results of the information provided by industry,” the RFI warns. “No determination of a path forward for CS 1 has been made at this time.”
The CS3 capability set encompasses the widest range of missions, now performed by the UH-60, HH-60, MH-60 and AH-64 which make up the bulk of the Pentagon’s helicopter fleet. The RFI says CS3 “is intended to be a versatile medium-lift air vehicle” and lists assault, attack, maritime interdiction, medical evacuation, tactical resupply and combat search-and-rescue among the intended roles.
The CS3 RFI focuses on technologies targeted for 2030 fielding, and draft capabilities outlined include a cruise speed of 230-310 kt., ruling out conventional helicopters. Bell’s V-280 Valor JMR demonstrator is a 280-kt. tiltrotor; Boeing/Sikorsky’s SB-1 Defiant is a 230-kt. coaxial rigid-rotor compound helicopter.
Other attributes sought are a 229-450-nm refueled radius, maneuver agility, 6k/95 HOGE, 3,500-4,000-lb. internal or 6,000-8,000-lb external payload, aerial-refueling capability and shipboard compatibility.
The CS3 RFI is described as market research in support of a material development decision (MDD) to launch an acquisition program. The Army’s fiscal 2017 budget request includes the first money for an FVL Medium procurement program.
The budget seeks $10.4 million to begin analysis of alternatives (AoA). The plans laid out sees the AoA continuing through fiscal 2018, leading to a Milestone A decision to launch technology development and release a request for proposals in fiscal 2019. Air-vehicle contract award is planned for fiscal 2021.