About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (April 29, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govdaax0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Army Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Program Updated April 29, 2020 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. 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. FVL is currently looking at five basic categories (or capability sets) of aircraft varying in size, but the initial 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. FLRAA 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 (Figure 2) 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-1 (Figure 3) is a compound helicopter, using twin coaxial rotors to provide lift and a pusher propeller to enhance speed. Figure I. FLRAA Schedule .............. .;:.............. ...... ....... . ......... i'.!::: :)i:''!? .!:!!:... .. ... .. ... .. ..... ...... ..- ....... ....... ..... . ..-.. . ............... ......... ii ,: i; :: ,, .......................................... .. . .J.. . : i !. . . . . . . . . . Source: FY2021 budget submission for Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Army,. In the FY2020 Defense Appropriation Act, Congress added $75.6 million for competitive demonstration and risk reduction (CD&RR) in FVL, focused on FLRAA. The main step from technology demonstrators to competitive aircraft, CD&RR will be a two-year effort designed to prepare the competing systems for projected contract award in the second quarter of FY2022. On March 18, 2020, the Army granted Bell and Sikorsky CD&RR project agreements. Figure 2. Bell V-280 Valor Source: Bell. Wy-s .2'

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most