US’ assault tiltrotor that will replace Black Hawk enters development phase

US Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA, program entered the next major phase of development.

The army announced the approval of the FLRAA Milestone B Acquisition Decision Memorandum on Friday.

The decision came after the successful FLRAA preliminary design review in April and a meeting of the Army Systems Acquisition Review Council in June.

After reviewing FLRAA affordability, technological viability, threat projections and security, engineering, manufacturing, sustainment and cost risks, the ASARC confirmed that all sources of program risk have been adequately addressed for this phase of the program.

Estimated value of about $70 billion

With an estimated value of about $70 billion over its lifespan, including foreign military sales, the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program (FLRAA) is designed to replace roughly 2,000 Black Hawk utility helicopters, Defense News reported.

The FLRAA, designed by Textron Bell, will not serve as a one-for-one replacement for existing aircraft but is expected to assume the roles of the Black Hawk—long the Army’s battlefield workhorse for transporting troops—around 2030. The aircraft successfully completed a preliminary design review in April, followed by an Army Systems Acquisition Review Council in June.

The service can now issue a contract option to Bell as the FLRAA enters the engineering and manufacturing development phase, which, along with the low-rate production phases, could amount to roughly $7 billion.

Initial unit delayed by Lockheed Martin’s objections

Textron Bell secured the Army’s contract to develop the FLRAA in late 2022, after a competitive process against a Sikorsky-Boeing team. Both teams flew technology demonstrators for several years to evaluate the aircraft’s capabilities and reduce risks for the future program of record.

The initial unit of the FLRAA program has been delayed by a year due to protests from Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky’s parent company, over the Army’s selection of Textron Bell’s advanced tiltrotor design. Sikorsky and Boeing’s competing design featured coaxial rotor blades.

The Army plans to equip the first unit with the capability by fiscal year 2031, with a limited user test anticipated between FY27 and FY28. Entering the engineering and manufacturing development phase is a crucial milestone for the FLRAA program, highlighting the Army’s commitment to its top aviation modernization priority. The FLRAA will deliver advanced assault and MEDEVAC capabilities for the future Army, offering significantly increased speed, range, and endurance.

The service aims for the FLRAA to achieve a range of approximately 2,440 nautical miles (2,810 miles) without refueling while also being agile enough to deploy troops into high-risk areas.

Prototype expected in 2026

The first FLRAA prototype will reportedly fly in 2026. If everything remains on course, the service plans to initiate low-rate initial production in 2028 and deploy the first helicopters to soldiers by 2030.

Maj. Gen. Michael McCurry, Army Aviation Branch chief, noted that future battlefields require enhanced maneuverability, sustainment, and command capabilities, and the FLRAA’s increased range and speed will significantly improve combat effectiveness for both conventional and Special Operations Forces.