Textron, November 06, 2024 - Wichita, KS – Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced he site selection for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) fuselage assembly in Wichita, Kansas at an existing facility located at Beech Field on Textron Aviation’s East Campus near the site of Textron Aviation Defense.
Bell plans to begin operations at the facility in the next several months.
Lisa Atherton, President and CEO, Bell, said "As Bell prepares for the next stage of FLRAA’s Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase, we are committed to investing in advanced manufacturing to ensure we deliver exceptional performance at an affordable cost to our customer. Textron has a rich history with the state of Kansas as well as the city of Wichita, and we are proud to deepen that relationship as we establish this new facility.”
In addition to manufacturing the FLRAA fuselage at the newly established Bell Wichita facility, supporting work will take place at several of Bell’s advanced manufacturing facilities in Texas, including Bell’s Advanced Composite Center in Fort Worth, and final assembly of the aircraft will occur in Amarillo.
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.), said “Bell Textron’s decision to continue production of the Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft in Kansas marks an historic day for the Air Capital of the World. This announcement is a testament to the Kansas workforce and the unique combination of academia and industry that Wichita has to offer. I look forward to our state supporting this generational aircraft that will impact our national security and workforce for years to come.”
Rep. Ron Estes, said "The announcement of Bell Textron building the FLRAA fuselage in Wichita is great news for the Air Capital of the World and highlights Textron’s commitment to our region. This program is critical for the Army's aviation modernization, and I look forward to expanding Bell's presence in south central Kansas. We know that our skilled workforce is the best in the world, and this announcement is a testament to the quality of our aviation manufacturers and supply chain."
Following the U.S. Army’s FLRAA contract award in December 2022, Bell established several new state-of-the-art facilities and several new innovative manufacturing processes to drive cost, schedule and performance to support program execution. As Bell and the FLRAA team work through the EMD phase, Bell’s focus will be on continued design maturation and prototyping.
The U.S. Army’s new long-range assault aircraft will fly twice as far and twice as fast as the current fleet. By utilizing mature tiltrotor technology coupled with an innovative digital engineering approach and a modular systems approach, it will be the most reliable, affordable and high-performing long-range assault aircraft in the world.
Bell V-280 Valor
About Bell : Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 85 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were a part of NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we’re defining the future of advanced air mobility. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.
About Textron Inc. : Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, 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, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems.
Bell plans to begin operations at the facility in the next several months.
Lisa Atherton, President and CEO, Bell, said "As Bell prepares for the next stage of FLRAA’s Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase, we are committed to investing in advanced manufacturing to ensure we deliver exceptional performance at an affordable cost to our customer. Textron has a rich history with the state of Kansas as well as the city of Wichita, and we are proud to deepen that relationship as we establish this new facility.”
In addition to manufacturing the FLRAA fuselage at the newly established Bell Wichita facility, supporting work will take place at several of Bell’s advanced manufacturing facilities in Texas, including Bell’s Advanced Composite Center in Fort Worth, and final assembly of the aircraft will occur in Amarillo.
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.), said “Bell Textron’s decision to continue production of the Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft in Kansas marks an historic day for the Air Capital of the World. This announcement is a testament to the Kansas workforce and the unique combination of academia and industry that Wichita has to offer. I look forward to our state supporting this generational aircraft that will impact our national security and workforce for years to come.”
Rep. Ron Estes, said "The announcement of Bell Textron building the FLRAA fuselage in Wichita is great news for the Air Capital of the World and highlights Textron’s commitment to our region. This program is critical for the Army's aviation modernization, and I look forward to expanding Bell's presence in south central Kansas. We know that our skilled workforce is the best in the world, and this announcement is a testament to the quality of our aviation manufacturers and supply chain."
Following the U.S. Army’s FLRAA contract award in December 2022, Bell established several new state-of-the-art facilities and several new innovative manufacturing processes to drive cost, schedule and performance to support program execution. As Bell and the FLRAA team work through the EMD phase, Bell’s focus will be on continued design maturation and prototyping.
The U.S. Army’s new long-range assault aircraft will fly twice as far and twice as fast as the current fleet. By utilizing mature tiltrotor technology coupled with an innovative digital engineering approach and a modular systems approach, it will be the most reliable, affordable and high-performing long-range assault aircraft in the world.
Bell V-280 Valor
About Bell : Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 85 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were a part of NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we’re defining the future of advanced air mobility. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.
About Textron Inc. : Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, 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, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems.
See also |
MV-75 in
US Army Aviation Design Software Used in the Bell V-280 Fuselage
US Army FLRAA to be Manufactured at Denton County, Texas
