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1 1 (November 20, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbbsw0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Army Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Program The major combat rotorcraft platforms in U.S. inventory- the Chinook, Black Hawk, Apache, and Kiowa Warrior- are based on designs from the 1960s and 1970s. While several are still in production or remanufacture, the Army is leading DOD's effort to move to a new generation of rotorcraft technology. The Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program is a research and development effort dedicated to discovering, investigating, and refining the technologies that is to provide the next generation of vertical lift aircraft for the United States Armed Forces. According to the Army, the goal of the program is to develop technologies that improve maneuverability, range, speed, payload, survivability, reliability, and reduced logistical footprint compared with current rotorcraft. The Army lists FVL as one of its top six modernization priorities. The Marine Corps and Navy also plan to use FVL-derived technology in their next-generation rotorcraft. Although the FVL effort is intended to benefit all services, and elements of the work are joint, the Army is the lead service, and most funding for the program is included in the Army's R&D budget. FVL is in a fairly early stage, and aircraft likely to result from this program's work are not expected to be operational until the early 2030s. However, in April 2018, then-Army Secretary Mark Esper directed the FVL team to determine whether promising technologies could be incorporated into a new aircraft within 10 years. History FVL officially began in 2009, and the strategic plan for the project was issued in October 2011. The pace of work has varied over time due to shifting Army budget priorities. For example, the FY2018 Army budget submission projected that the FVL technology development phase would begin in the second quarter of FY2019, but the FY2020 budget documents now put that goal in the third quarter of FY2021. The Army is also resolving an internal debate as to its priorities. While the FVL development focus had been on the medium-lift Black Hawk helicopter replacement, Army officials have more recently noted a larger capability gap in the attack/reconnaissance fleet, and are considering whether to shift focus to that smaller platform. The FY2020 budget submission did not resolve that debate; the lengthened timelines for the program may indicate an interest in leaving options open. FVL is currently looking at five basic categories (or capability sets) of aircraft varying in size, but the initial 10 gm 0 ILI November 20, 2019 foci are a medium transport platform capable of succeeding the Army UH-60 Black Hawk and Marine H-1 Huey utility helicopters-the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA)-and a scout platform roughly in the role of the current Apache, now called the Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA). Heavy-lift variants may follow. F11 LRAA Bell and Sikorsky (with Boeing) have produced demonstrators for FLRAA. The two companies are taking different technology approaches to their efforts. The Bell V-280 is a tiltrotor aircraft like the V-22 Osprey, with engines and rotors at the end of its wings that swivel. The Sikorsky/Boeing SB-i is a compound helicopter, using twin coaxial rotors to provide lift and a pusher propeller to enhance speed. Figure I. FLRAA Schedule Start Events Quarlar Year Sore: FY202 budetj:~ suission: for v Reerh 2evlpet Fc1'o Ake- 2C 2 Test & Evaluation, Army. The next major FLRAA milestones are a projected Milestone A decision in FY2021 to proceed with development and a follow-on request for proposals for risk reduction (the main step from technology demonstrators to competitive aircraft) in FY2022. Figure 2. Bell V-280 Valor Source: Bell.

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