Bell V-280 Valor

FLRAA is the procurement program, we dont know whether Bell will keep the name or change it for the production version, so far they have been procuring the production contracts from suppliers under the same V-280 name. I am sure the US will want to give it its own name in service so the 'Valor' might change.
 
The US Army, assuming the program survives, will classify the platform (UV vice UH?) and provide a Native American tribe for its name.
As pointed out Bell will continue to work there program with their nomenclature but once a platform is built on federal funds it will be renamed. All of this is being done under the supervision of the Program Manager FLRAA.
 
yasotay said:
The US Army, assuming the program survives, will classify the platform (UV vice UH?) and provide a Native American tribe for its name.
As pointed out Bell will continue to work there program with their nomenclature but once a platform is built on federal funds it will be renamed. All of this is being done under the supervision of the Program Manager FLRAA.
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I'm really hoping the Army gets a sense of humor about it, and calls it the Crow. "Bird" name like Osprey and Harrier, "Tribe" name like everything else in the Army.
 
Forest Green said:
www.twz.com

How To Satisfy The Navy's Future Vertical Lift-Maritime Strike Needs With Bell's Rob Freeland

Bell sees a version of its V-280 Valor and its navalized V-247 Vigilant drone concept as the solution for the Navy's ambitious goals.
www.twz.com www.twz.com
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I'm still not sold on tilt-rotors to replace the MH60R/S, unless the Navy abandons the dipping sonar.

Tilt-rotors for the Marines? Absolutely. But if you look at the number of H-1s the USMC operates, that's only 190 of each (planned). So that's a really small order for V280s and maybe V247s, if the Marines decide to replace their AH1Zs with V247s.
 
Certainly if the USN wants to continue to "dip" sonar, then I would agree that tilt rotor is likely to be a suboptimal solution. However if you could make a disposable sonar that is launched, flies to, and then activates on entry into the water, it might be more desirable. This in conjunction with faster response times over larger distances could be of significant benefit. I have heard (rumor intel) that the USN has already considered other missions for CMV-22B.
 
yasotay said:
Certainly if the USN wants to continue to "dip" sonar, then I would agree that tilt rotor is likely to be a suboptimal solution. However if you could make a disposable sonar that is launched, flies to, and then activates on entry into the water, it might be more desirable.
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What about aerial recoverable bouy? Use something like fulton recovery mechanism and even fixed wing can do it, with hover-capable aircraft the design options expands.
 
shin_getter said:
What about aerial recoverable bouy? Use something like fulton recovery mechanism and even fixed wing can do it, with hover-capable aircraft the design options expands.
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Certainly an option to be considered. The fancy term being used these days regarding small uncrewed aerial systems is "Attritable". Which means that you desire to recover the unit, but are willing to accept that you might loose it.
 
Latest FLRAA trade show model, is it getting shorter compared to the V280 and its bid renders?
Nose in front of Cockpit is elongated but distance between front wheels and tail has shrunk.

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WatcherZero said:
Latest FLRAA trade show model, is it getting shorter compared to the V280 and its bid renders?
Nose in front of Cockpit is elongated but distance between front wheels and tail has shrunk.

flraabesty.jpg


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No, I think it's just the nose being longer. If anything, the distance from the wheel sponsons to the wing looks longer as well.
 

New V-280 Model Shows FLRAA Design Evolving | Aviation Week Network

An updated model of the Bell V-280 shows that the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) design is evolving from the demonstrator that won the competition.
aviationweek.com aviationweek.com

Notice the AAR probe. AW states it as a Special operation feature but it seems to me that a long range a/c needs an AAR capability anyway. So, IMOHO, this could be a standard equipment instead as it doesn't appear to be removable or be a quick bolt-on kit.
 
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Keep in mind the JMR-TD aircraft was a technology demonstrator not a production prototype. So this isn't even a "concept car to production car" level of transition.

I may be alone here but I like this nose, along with having larger doors and more room for systems, it looks more Bell than before.
 
A refueling probe is only half of the equation. Unlike the USMC, U.S. Army does not have Squadrons of KC-130 to provide the other half.
I do agree there does appear to be more area forward. As stated likely for more avionics.
 
The spinners on the rotors have been blunted too. Guessing blunt ones are still good aerodynamically for forward flight. Apart from reduced height are there any other benefits of a blunt spinner?
 

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