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U.S. Army Taps Contractors To Provide Rotorcraft Demonstrators

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE » JUNE 7, 2013

by  BILL CAREY

Bell Helicopter Textron is offering its V-280 Valor third-generation tiltrotor for the U.S. Army’s joint multi-role technology demonstration. (Image: Bell Helicopter)

June 7, 2013, 10:50 AM

The U.S. Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate selected Bell Helicopter Textron, a Boeing-Sikorsky team and AVX Aircraft among contractors invited to participate in the joint multi-role technology demonstrator (JMR-TD) program with new rotorcraft designs, the companies confirmed. They expect the Army will award JMR-TD contracts by September. The first demonstrator flights are planned in 2017.

The JMR effort is part of the Pentagon’s future vertical lift (FVL) program to develop a series of rotorcraft that would replace the Army’s current aging fleet of utility and attack helicopters by 2030. The Army has said that JMR-TD phase 1 will address the technical risk of developing an FVL medium-class, vertical takeoff and landing air vehicle that “greatly surpasses” the performance, reliability and affordability of current helicopters. The service has identified a cruise speed of 230 knots, nearly twice the speed of current helicopters, “as a key discriminating capability,” according to Bell Helicopter.

Bell will advance its V-280 Valor third-generation tiltrotor design, unveiled in April at the Army Aviation Association of America convention in Fort Worth. “The Bell V-280 Valor will provide the Army’s most sought-after capability, with a cruise speed of 280 knots,” said Keith Flail, Bell’s FVL program director.

Earlier this year, Boeing and Sikorsky announced a teaming agreement to participate in the program. The companies said they are “pleased to have been invited by the U.S.Army to negotiate a technology investment agreement” for the JMR-TD phase 1 effort. “Our team brings a shared commitment to invest in next-generation rotorcraft technology based on Sikorsky’s X2 rigid-rotor coaxial design.”

AVX also confirmed that it has been selected by the Army to participate; the company is developing a helicopter configuration with coaxial main rotors and dual ducted fans in place of a tail rotor.