Official Contenders For US Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA)

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SB>1 and V-280 became the official contenders for the US Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA as part of the US Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL)

The Bell V-280 advanced tilt-rotor and the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 coaxial compound helicopter are now competitors in the demonstration and risk reduction (CD&RR) contracts that were awarded on 16 March 2020.

Bell, flying the Valor already since December 2017, announced that they expect that their tilt-rotor is to complete all key performance parameters (including additional low-speed agility tests and full cruise speed in forward flight) in the upcoming months. They already flew an end-to-end autonomous flight with the Valor.

Sikorsky-Boeing continues its tests with the SB>1 too and already exceeded 100 knots horizontal speed and maneuvered 30° angle of banks with their coaxial compound helicopter. The Defiant, first flew in March 2019, shares a lot of design with the smaller S-97 Raider. The Defiant will soon reach 250 knots speed and Sikorsky-Boeing reported that the design will reach all requirements on time.

Under the CD&RR both Bell and Sikorsky-Boeing will produce initial conceptual designs and try to meet up with all requirements within two years.

The US Government is funding two-thirds of both projects (each worth USD 500 million) while the industry is taking one-third. It is expected that in 2022 an FLRAA contract will be awarded to one of the competitors.

The FLRAA leads to the replacement of the H-60 Black Hawk.

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