The US Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, or FARA, developed in conjunction with the FLRAA, will likely serve as a close combat conductor for advanced unmanned aerial systems as well as provide support to troops on the ground.
In 2016 the Army retired its last recon helicopter, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, without replacement. The mission is currently being filled by AH-64E Apache gunships teamed with RQ-7 Shadow drones. FARA, was announced, will replace half of the Apache fleet particularly the older D variant.
On April 23 2019, the US Army awarded $3.9B contracts to 5 pre-selected teams to design the new aircraft: AVX/L3 ($732M), Bell ($790M, which apparently will not offer a tilt-rotor), Boeing ($772M), Sikorsky ($938M) and Karem Aircraft ($738M). Two vendors are going to be selected in March 2020 and a winner expected to be chosen for final development in 2023.
On May 2019, Boeing unveiled its High Speed Apache which was followed in October by the Bell 360 Invictus and Sikorsky Raider X proposals
On March 2020, after the initial design and risk assessment, Bell 360 Invictus and Sikorsky Raider X proposals were both selected and awarded contracts for detailed design, build, and test of prototypes.
The FARA is powered by GE T901 engines
In 2016 the Army retired its last recon helicopter, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, without replacement. The mission is currently being filled by AH-64E Apache gunships teamed with RQ-7 Shadow drones. FARA, was announced, will replace half of the Apache fleet particularly the older D variant.
On April 23 2019, the US Army awarded $3.9B contracts to 5 pre-selected teams to design the new aircraft: AVX/L3 ($732M), Bell ($790M, which apparently will not offer a tilt-rotor), Boeing ($772M), Sikorsky ($938M) and Karem Aircraft ($738M). Two vendors are going to be selected in March 2020 and a winner expected to be chosen for final development in 2023.
On May 2019, Boeing unveiled its High Speed Apache which was followed in October by the Bell 360 Invictus and Sikorsky Raider X proposals
On March 2020, after the initial design and risk assessment, Bell 360 Invictus and Sikorsky Raider X proposals were both selected and awarded contracts for detailed design, build, and test of prototypes.
The FARA is powered by GE T901 engines
FARA Contenders
AVX / L3
Karem
Established 2004, Karem Aircraft participated in several government funded programs such as DARPA's VTOL X-Plane (VXP) DoD's Joint Heavy Lift (JHL) and Joint Future Theater Lift (JFTL). Own funded initiatives underway by Karem includes the AeroTrain and AeroCommuter Optimum Speed Tiltrotors for passenger transportation.
Bell 360 Invictus
03-May-22 - SNC Joins Team Invictus #SNC
07-Oct-21 - Bell Teams with CAE for FLRAA and FARA Training #FVL
13-Aug-21 - Bell 360 Invictus is Taking Form #Invictus
08-Jul-21 - Future Vertical Lift at Bell Lab in Arlington Texas #FVL
22-Jul-20 - Astronics Power Systems for Bell’ FARA and FLRAA #electric
29-Jun-20 - Mecaer Joined Invictus Team for FARA #TeamInvictus
24-Jun-20 - Bell Proposals for Future US Army Aviation #FVL
04-Jun-20 - Bell 360 Invictus Team
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Sikorsky Raider X
11-Oct-22 - RAIDER X for US Army FARA Close to Flight Test #FARA15-Apr-21 - S-97 Raider Visit to Redstone Arsenal #Raider
09-Aug-20 - Sikorsky in the Army Modernization Program
14-Oct-19 - Sikorsky Unveils Raider X for US Army FARA #RaiderX
News
GE Aerospace Systems for V-280 Valor
09-Sep-23 - Bell selected GE Aerospace to develop a Common Open Architecture Digital Backbone (COADB), Voice and Data Recorder, and the Health Awareness System (HAS) for the Bell V-280 Valor #recorder
GAO Denies Sikorsky-Boeing FLRAA Protest
08-Apr-23 - The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) rejected the protest from Sikorsky regarding the US Army selecting the Bell V-280 Valor as the winner of the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition to replace the Black Hawk #FLRAA
Lockheed Martin and Boeing Protest FLRAA Decision
30-Dec-22 - Sikorsky asks the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the US Army’s decision on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) Contract #FLRAA
Bell V-280 Won US Army FLRAA Helicopter Contract
06-Dec-22 - The Bell V-280 Valor tilt-rotor aircraft was chosen as the new US Army Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) in competition against the Sikorsky/Boeing Defiant X to replace the Black Hawk #FLRAA
RAIDER X for US Army FARA Close to Flight Test
11-Oct-22 - Digital factory, additive manufacturing and flying tech demonstrator reduce risk and deliver unmatched growth potential for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) Program #FARA
SNC Joins Team Invictus
03-May-22 - Bell adds Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to Team Invictus for work on Advanced Mission Systems #SNC
Honeywell APU for Defiant X
26-Apr-22 - Honeywell to provide modified version of its proven GTCP 36-150 auxiliary power unit (APU) along with main engine generator for the Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant X helicopter #APU
Perigon Computer for Defiant X
04-Apr-22 - Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing selects Collins Aerospace seating, Perigon™ computer for DEFIANT X® helicopter #Perigon
Long Endurance Flight for SB>1 Defiant
02-Apr-22 - The Sikorsky/Boeing SB>1 Defiant flew to Nashville, TN for the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual summit AAAA 2022 #AAAA2022
