Defiant protest grounds US Army FLRAA contract
Bell Textron’s V-280 Valor won the US Army’s FLRAA competition in early December. (Photo: Bell Textron)
Boeing and Sikorsky think the US Army’s decision on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft was not made in the right way and have filed a protest with the US Government Accountability Office, pausing the programme for more than three months.
The Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant X team closed 2022 with a highly anticipated move, challenging the US Army’s decision on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) contract.
Bell Textron’s V-280 Valor won the FLRAA competition in early December, and the company was set to receive a contract worth up to $1.3 billion with the initial package estimated at $232 million over the next 19 months.
Team Defiant X, however, did not think the decision was made in the right way and filed a protest with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).
In an official statement published on 28 December, the team
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![How geopolitics and new military alliances are disrupting combat aircraft procurement]()
How geopolitics and new military alliances are disrupting combat aircraft procurement
Selection of fighter aircraft by national governments has always been political. As markets and allegiances shift against a background of global realignment, who will be the winners and losers as new entrants compete with established suppliers?
-
![Singapore’s interest in GCAP reflects its long-term approach to air power]()
Singapore’s interest in GCAP reflects its long-term approach to air power
A potential interest in joining GCAP is indicative of Singapore’s long-term and methodical approach to defence procurement and could benefit its local defence industry.
-
![US military tests AI-powered CUAS turret against drone swarms]()
US military tests AI-powered CUAS turret against drone swarms
As the US continues to invest heavily in counter-drone systems, demand for low-cost, mobile and autonomous technologies is on the rise, with Edda designed to align with these emerging requirements.
-
![August crewed air review: KC-390 momentum builds as demand in the tanker market grows]()
August crewed air review: KC-390 momentum builds as demand in the tanker market grows
The KC-390 is building a growing international operator base, but competition in the transport and tanker market is increasingly likely to depend on interoperability, commonality and the strength of supporting ecosystems. Meanwhile, Boeing’s KC-46 and Airbus’s A330 also gained ground in August.
