The US Army is planning upgrades to next-generation attack aircraft

As the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program enters the next major phase of development, the service is planning significant upgrades to Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor, the winner of the FLRAA competition.

In late 2022, the Army selected Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor to replace approximately 2,000 Black Hawk commercial helicopters.

Designed by Textron Bell, the FLRAA is estimated to be worth about $70 billion over its lifespan, including foreign military sales.

FLRAA Upgrades

The U.S. Army plans to introduce it into service by 2030 and is planning three major upgrades to its most advanced aircraft.

Brig. Gen. Cain Baker, director of the Army’s Future Vertical Lift Cross Functional Team, recently shared new details about the FLARAA “version two” design.

The service relies on its Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) as the key to making it easier to add new features.

These upcoming improvements could include new sensors for improved pilot skills, advanced avionics and enhanced launch effects.

“We need this open systems architecture and this open systems approach so that we can integrate these functions quickly and cost-effectively and really get the most out of them [of it] … for the crews,” said Brigadier General David Phillips, aviation program manager.

“The future capabilities we bring on board have historically been challenging, and with our open systems approach we aim to lower the barrier to integrating new capabilities onto the aircraft.”

So far, Phillips and the acquisition community are sticking with their plans to purchase these features.

Baker said it would likely take another year for the requirements of the second version of the FLRAA to be formulated, and then they would have to move up for approval — first through Army Futures Command and then up to senior leadership.

Ready for operation by 2030

Textron Bell secured the Army contract to develop the FLRAA in late 2022 after competing against a Sikorsky-Boeing team.

Both teams flew technology demonstrators for several years to assess the aircraft’s capabilities and reduce risks to the future record-breaking program.

The first unit of the FLRAA program was delayed for a year due to protests from Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky’s parent company, over the Army’s selection of Textron Bell’s advanced tiltrotor design. The competing designs from Sikorsky and Boeing included coaxial rotor blades.

The Army plans to equip the first unit with this capability by fiscal year 2031, with limited user testing expected between fiscal year 27 and fiscal year 28.

Entering the engineering and manufacturing development phase is a critical milestone for the FLRAA program and underscores the Army’s commitment to its top aviation modernization priority.

The FLRAA will provide the future Army with advanced strike and MEDEVAC capabilities, offering significantly increased speed, range and endurance.

The service’s goal is for the FLRAA to achieve a range of approximately 2,440 nautical miles (2,810 miles) without refueling while remaining maneuverable enough to deploy troops to high-risk areas.

The first FLRAA prototype is reportedly scheduled to fly in 2026. If everything stays on track, the service plans to begin small-scale initial production in 2028 and field the first helicopters for soldiers by 2030.