Helis, May 19, 2021 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OH - The US Air Force granted Bell $ 950,000 for high speed vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL) research.
The contract is referred as the Bell’s High Speed VTOL (HSVTOL) and managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) AFWERX program.
The Air Force is starting the process to replace its current fleet of tilt-rotors CV-22B Osprey by the end of this decade.
Lieutenant General James Slife, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command said, “we’re looking at a generational movement for vertical take-off and landing capability going into the future. I think it’ll probably be something quite different than the V-22.”
In 2017, the US Air Force launched the AFWERX program with the goal of fostering a culture of innovation within the service.
On December 17, 2019 under the AFWERX framework the "Agility Prime initiative" was announced. Agility Prime is an U.S. Air Force program to enable use and training of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) platforms. Under the Agility Prime initiative the USAF recently awarded its first airworthiness approval for a manned electric aircraft to BETA Technologies.
Bell is currently developing the V-280 Valor for the US Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and the 360 Invictus for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competitions.
Bell applied digital design and manufacturing technologies, included maintenance as part of the design process, and used emerging commercial processes to bring a comprehensive view of digital models, processing, and analysis. This methodology has reduced programmatic risk, improved lifecycle maintenance and servicing outcomes, increasing program affordability.
The contract is referred as the Bell’s High Speed VTOL (HSVTOL) and managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) AFWERX program.
The Air Force is starting the process to replace its current fleet of tilt-rotors CV-22B Osprey by the end of this decade.
Lieutenant General James Slife, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command said, “we’re looking at a generational movement for vertical take-off and landing capability going into the future. I think it’ll probably be something quite different than the V-22.”
In 2017, the US Air Force launched the AFWERX program with the goal of fostering a culture of innovation within the service.
On December 17, 2019 under the AFWERX framework the "Agility Prime initiative" was announced. Agility Prime is an U.S. Air Force program to enable use and training of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) platforms. Under the Agility Prime initiative the USAF recently awarded its first airworthiness approval for a manned electric aircraft to BETA Technologies.
Bell is currently developing the V-280 Valor for the US Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and the 360 Invictus for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competitions.
Bell applied digital design and manufacturing technologies, included maintenance as part of the design process, and used emerging commercial processes to bring a comprehensive view of digital models, processing, and analysis. This methodology has reduced programmatic risk, improved lifecycle maintenance and servicing outcomes, increasing program affordability.
USAF is looking into the future for the CV-22B Osprey replacement
See also |
AFRL
US Air Force Research Laboratory US Air Force CV-22 Osprey in
US Air Force HSVTOL Bell Helicopter Bell HSVTOL Military Design Concepts
