Monday
September 19, 2005
Bell Boeing Wins JHL Contract
Fort Worth, Texas, USA ( Bell Boeing Program Office Press Release) -
he team of Bell Helicopter, a Textron
company , and Boeing has been awarded a $3.45 million
contract by the U.S. Army to perform conceptual design and analysis of its
Quad TiltRotor (QTR) aircraft for the Joint Heavy Lift (JHL) Program.
"The Bell Boeing team is exceptionally pleased to have been one of the teams
chosen by the Joint Service Team to take the first step in providing a truly
transformational vertical lift cargo aircraft," said Mike Redenbaugh, chief
executive officer of Bell Helicopter. "The critical need for long range,
high speed, heavy lift without access to runways is being highlighted around
the world every day."
"We view this as an important first step toward defining the next generation
of high-speed, heavy-lift rotorcraft," said Ron Prosser, Boeing Phantom
Works vice president and general manager of Integrated Defense Advanced
Systems. "This Bell Boeing effort is a great opportunity to demonstrate the
utility of cutting edge technology in meeting joint service needs."
Bell Boeing's QTR is an evolutionary application of its tiltrotor technology
utilized in the V-22 Osprey. The QTR is a tandem-wing, four-proprotor
aircraft with a large cargo fuselage and a rear-loading ramp. Four
turboshaft engines, each mounted in one of four tilting wingtip nacelles,
power the proprotors through interconnected transmissions for redundancy.
The QTR design will be sized, refined and analyzed over the next 18 months
to determine program requirements and feasibility of further development.
Bell Helicopter , a subsidiary of Textron Inc., is a leading producer of
commercial and military helicopters and the pioneer of the revolutionary
tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for customer service, innovation and
superior quality, Bell's global workforce of over 7,500 employees serves
customers flying Bell aircraft in over 120 countries.
Textron, Inc. is a $10 billion multi-industry company with 44,000 employees
in 40 countries. The company leverages its global network of aircraft,
industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative
solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful
brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming,
E-Z-GO and Greenlee, among others.
Boeing's participation is through the Phantom Works Advanced Rotorcraft
Systems team. Phantom Works is the advanced research and development unit
and catalyst of innovation for Boeing. It provides advanced system solutions
and innovative, breakthrough technologies that reduce cycle time and cost
while improving the quality and performance of aerospace products and
services. Through its Integrated Defense Advanced Systems group, Phantom
Works provides these system and technology solutions to Boeing Integrated
Defense Systems, one of the world's largest space and defense businesses.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $27
billion business. It provides network-centric systems solutions to its
global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading
provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the
world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest
satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications;
the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense and Department of
Homeland Security; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in launch
services.
news: Tiltrotor Airlift Technology for Army Transformation ( Jul 19, 2004 )
news: Osprey 's big cousin excites Pentagon ( Sep 26, 1999 )
V-22 Osprey
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