Fort Worth, TX - October 8, 2013 - Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company (NYSE: TXT), announced that the U.S. Army has awarded a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) for the Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Technology Demonstrator (TD) program to Bell Helicopter based on its Bell V-280 Valor™. Bell Helicopter's third generation tiltrotor design is on track to achieve first flight in 2017.
"Team Valor is excited about Bell Helicopter's selection and TIA award for the JMR-TD. We look forward to working with the Army to demonstrate the superior capability of the next generation tiltrotor aircraft," said Keith Flail, director of Bell Helicopter's JMR-TD program. "The unprecedented speed and range of the Bell V-280's tiltrotor technology maximizes operational effectiveness for future military operations, and the Bell V-280 offers the best solution for the U.S. Army. Bell Helicopter's clean-sheet design and fly-by-wire expertise promise the Bell V-280 Valor will be a transformational aircraft on the battlefield."
The Bell V-280 Valor presents the U.S. Army with the highest levels of maturity and technical readiness, with reduced complexity compared to previous generation tiltrotors. The Bell V-280 provides the best value in procurement, operations and support, and force structure, while delivering desired leap-ahead performance capabilities with increased maintainability, reliability and affordability to the DoD.
With twice the speed and range of conventional helicopters, the Valor will offer maneuver commanders unmatched operational agility to self-deploy and perform a multitude of vertical lift missions currently unachievable in one aircraft. The Bell V-280 is a combat force multiplier with superior performance, payload, survivability, and reliability to give the warfighter the decisive advantage.
The Bell V-280 Valor is a true combat maneuver platform, delivering a number of decisive capabilities and transformational features including:
Speed: 280 KTAS
Combat range: 500-800nm
Strategically Self-Deployable - 2100nm Range
Achieves 6k/95F Hover Out of Ground Effect (HOGE)
Carries crew of four and 11 troops
Useful load of 12,000+ lbs
Triple redundant fly-by-wire flight control system
Conventional, retractable landing gear
Two 6' wide large side doors for ease of rapid ingress/egress
Enhanced situational awareness and sensing technologies
The JMR-TD program is the science and technology precursor to the Department of Defense's Future Vertical Lift program expected to replace between 2,000 and 4,000 medium-class utility and attack helicopters. The U.S. Army and Department of Defense are seeking leap-ahead capabilities and have identified a speed of 230+ knots as a key discriminating capability. Its current fleet cruises at 140 knots.
About Bell Helicopter
Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. 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 Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.
Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders and difficult conditions in the financial markets which may adversely impact our customers' ability to fund or finance purchases of our products.
Contact
Susan Gordon
817-280-3100
mediarelations@bh.com
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