Bell selects Fort Worth site to build V-280s for the FLRAA programme
The V-280 tiltrotor was selected by the US Army for its FLRAA programme. (Photo: Bell Textron)
The facility will work towards readiness for Low-Rate Initial Production on the V-280 by 2028.
Bell Textron has selected a site for its facility to support production on the US Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).
The 447,000 sq ft factory will be located in Fort Worth, Texas and will be dedicated to FLRAA component manufacturing, Bell said. Its V-280 Valor aircraft was selected for the FLRAA programme.
Bell plans to begin facility modification and equipment installation to ready the facility for Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) by 2028.
Related Articles
US Army finally moves forward with FLRAA next-generation rotorcraft programme
“The Army is committed to delivering the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft providing the speed, range and endurance needed to conduct effective air assault, MEDEVAC and resupply missions for future Large Scale Combat Operations,” said Brig. Gen. David Phillips, programme executive officer for aviation for the US Army.
“It is great to see our industry partners share in that commitment by investing in state-of-the-art facilities to produce the Army’s first ‘born digital’ aircraft weapon system.”
The US Army FLRAA contract was awarded to Bell in December 2022, while the acquisition decision memorandum – the document that meant that the Army could start to look at options to push ahead with engineering and manufacturing development phase of the FLRAA – was passed in August 2024.
The FLRAA is a programme to develop a replacement for the S-70 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
US Army acquisition executive Douglas R. Bush said previously that it would not act as a like-for-like replacement, but instead would “provide assault and Medevac capabilities for the future Army, adding significantly increased speed, range and endurance”.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Update: India’s Rafale-M deal postponed]()
Update: India’s Rafale-M deal postponed
New Delhi had been gearing up to sign a Navy Rafale deal as talks swirled around a potential assembly line in Nagpur.
-
![Turkey’s Eurofighter process going to plan despite German block, says minister]()
Turkey’s Eurofighter process going to plan despite German block, says minister
The comment, made by Turkish defence minister Yasar Guler, also noted that the 40-strong sale of Eurofighter Typhoons was primarily managed by the UK, not Germany.
-
![Belgium considers additional F-35 order to boost fleet]()
Belgium considers additional F-35 order to boost fleet
The statement from Prime Minister Bart De Wever during a parliamentary session follows the country’s Easter Agreement which would see it increase defence spending to 2% of GDP by the end of 2025.
-
![Northrop Grumman notes $477 million loss as it manages higher B-21 programme costs]()
Northrop Grumman notes $477 million loss as it manages higher B-21 programme costs
In its Q1 earnings call, the company disclosed a US$477 million pretax loss related to the programme as it works to scale up.
-
![Lockheed Martin wants to “supercharge” F-35 after NGAD loss]()
Lockheed Martin wants to “supercharge” F-35 after NGAD loss
The investment in technologies developed for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft bid will now be applied to its F-35 and F-22 aircraft, according to Lockheed Martin CEO James Taiclet.
