Moog Inc. will design, manufacture, and qualify an integrated flight control system, consisting of flight control computers, support software, and flight control actuation, for the Bell V-280 Valor next-generation tiltrotor aircraft.
"Moog is a premier flight control system provider, and we are pleased to team with them on our third-generation tiltrotor – the Bell V-280 Valor," says John Garrison, president and CEO of Bell Helicopter, which is a subsidiary of Textron Inc. "Moog's experience and innovation helps us deliver the highest levels of maturity and technical readiness required for the U.S. Army's future vertical lift missions."
"We have a long history of working with Bell Helicopter and are delighted to be part of Team Valor," states Warren Johnson, president of Moog's Aircraft Group. "We made the strategic decision to align our interests and resources with Bell Helicopter on this key program and believe the Bell V-280 will be the most advanced, operationally-effective vertical lift solution, providing our warfighters an unparalleled combination of range, speed, and combat capability."
Team Valor is comprised of leading aerospace companies bringing the best engineering resources, industrial capabilities, and critical thinking in the industry to meet the Army's needs.
Lockheed Martin became the first of Bell Helicopter's V-280 program tier one team members on Sep. 9, 2013.
"The U.S. Government and Lockheed Martin have created affordable yet highly-advanced mission equipment packages for numerous aircraft that can be leveraged to provide an affordable and effective solution for the Future Vertical Lift program. Our efforts will allow the U.S. Army to take advantage of the advanced technology and maturity we've achieved in integrated avionics, sensors, and weapons," Dale P. Bennett, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training, said at the time.
Additional V-280 Valor team members are expected to be announced in the coming months.
On Oct. 8, 2013, the U.S. Army awarded a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) for the Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Technology Demonstrator (TD) program to Bell Helicopter based on its Bell V-280 Valor. The V-280 is anticipated to achieve first flight in 2017.
The JMR-TD program is the science and technology precursor to the Department of Defense's Future Vertical Lift program expected to replace between 2,000 and 4,000 medium-class utility and attack helicopters. The U.S. Army and Department of Defense are seeking leap-ahead capabilities and have identified a speed in excess of 230kts as a key discriminating capability. Its current fleet cruises at 140kts.
Doubling the speed and range of conventional helicopters, the Bell V-280 Valor is designed to offer commanders a combat maneuver platform with operational agility to self-deploy and perform a multitude of vertical lift missions currently unachievable in today's aircraft.
The Bell V-280 Valor capabilities and features include:
- Speed: 280KTAS
- Combat range: 500-800nm
- Strategically Self-Deployable - 2100nm Range
- Achieves 6k/95F Hover Out of Ground Effect (HOGE)
- Carries crew of four and 11 troops
- Useful load of more than 12,000 lb
- Triple redundant fly-by-wire flight control system
- Conventional, retractable landing gear
- Two 6ft wide large side doors for ease of rapid ingress/egress
- Enhanced situational awareness and sensing technologies
Source: Bell Helicopter