Rotorcraft
Army FLRAA Moves Forward with Valor and Defiant
The process of finding a replacement for the U.S. Army’s large fleet of Black Hawk helicopters continues with the Valor and Defiant going head-to-head.
Bell’s V-280 Valor refines the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor concept by introducing tilting blades, rather than the whole nacelle rotating. (Photo: Bell)
Bell’s V-280 Valor refines the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor concept by introducing tilting blades, rather than the whole nacelle rotating. (Photo: Bell)

The U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program has made significant progress with the March 16 award of contracts to bidders Bell and Sikorsky/Boeing. The contracts cover competitive demonstration and risk reduction (CD&RR) work associated with the Bell V-280 Valor and Sikorsky/Boeing SB>1 Defiant. With the awards, these two types become the official contenders for the FLRAA selection, which is intended to find a replacement for the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.

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