Its cruising speed will be 280 knots (hence the designation V-280) and its top speed will be 300 kts. The V-280 will have a crew of 4 (including two pilots) and be capable of transporting up to 14 troops. Army’s Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) phase, the technology demonstration precursor to Future Vertical Lift (FVL), a replacement for the service’s Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters. The V-280 Valor is Bell’s submission for the U.S. And here is the first demonstrator aircraft being readied for its maiden flight. In theory, the government will retain ownership of some aspects, like interface design, while manufacturers might retain custody of data collected.Bell V-280 Valor is a third-generation tilt-rotor aircraft being developed by Bell Helicopter for the United States Army’s Future Vertical Lift program. The final rules of ownership for intellectual property in defence programmes are still being developed by the Department of Defense, according to Collins. Collins says the system could power a range of aircraft, including cargo transports, sixth-generation fighters and aerial firefighting aircraft. Perigon will operate using an open-source card-based hardware that will be compatible with new software applications. Military leaders say this will reduce procurement costs and give them flexibility to rapidly deploy new technologies. The army calls the concept Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). OPEN-SYSTEM ARCHITECTURESĪ system like Perigon also fits into the Pentagon’s military-wide push for new procurement programmes to accept third-party or so-called “open system” applications – functions not designed by the original manufacturer. “We’re challenging the army and the OEMs in the way they think,” says Tiedeman. Collins says the computer will power the Sikrorsky-Boeing Defiant X FLRAA submission. Perigon also meets criteria for civil certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration, paving the way for commercial applications. The company says its Perigon flight computer offers 20 times the computing power of existing systems, making it capable of managing pilot-controlled fly-by-wire and autonomous flight. “We’re introducing these systems to original equipment manufacturers,” says John Esposito, Collins’ vice-president of strategic pursuits.Ĭollins is also working to improve the performance of existing technologies. The company has a three-front approach to shaving weight and improving aerodynamics: consolidate separate systems into fewer pieces of hardware, employ lightweight composite materials and minimise antenna drag.Ĭoncepts like de-icing equipment embedded in structural surfaces, weight-saving multi-function antennas and structural health sensors are concepts Collins says can shave kilograms and squeeze performance from airframes. “Weight is one of the biggest challenges,” says Harold Tiedeman, Collins’ chief engineer for FVL. To reach those targets, while still carrying the necessary array of sensors and communications equipment, Collins says it had to try “new approaches”. FLRAA designs must be capable of reaching 270kt (500km/h) with an external load of 3,630kg (8,000lb), and have range exceeding 200nm (370km). The US Army is requiring significant performance upgrades in speed, range and payload for the FVL aircraft. A decision for FLRAA is expected in the coming weeks.ĭuring a 28 September event at Collins’ site in Huntsville, Alabama, Collins engineers and executives said they are providing components to both FLRAA submissions: Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor and the joint Sikorksy-Boeing Defiant X co-axial design. The first FVL aircraft, the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), will replace Sikorsky’s UH-60 Black Hawk, while the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) will provide a substitute for the retired Bell OH-58 Kiowa. View of a UH-60 cockpit at the Paris air show Airline Business special: CEOs to watch in 2021.FlightGlobal Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2021.EDGE: A new global force in aerospace and defence.Shell Aviation: What will it take to Decarbonise Aviation?.What does the future of aviation look like in 2022?.Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2022.What will it take to Decarbonise Aviation?.
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