FVL/FARA Program

[MAJ Carrera]

The United States Army is looking to replace its Blackhawk, Chinook, Kiowa and Apache helicopters through the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Program that started in 2009. Replacement of the air frames are expected to start around 2030. There are 4 contenders in this program, 2 Co-axial helicopters and 2 Tilt-rotor aircraft. I have compiled a spreadsheet of the projected stats of the air frames. I would like to keep this up to date as more info comes out as long as there is interest for it, feel free to discuss below. Looks like the future of helicopters is in one of the two dual rotor designs lets see which it is...

 

 

Lockheed Martin/Boeing

The SB-1 Defiance and its little brother the S-97 Raider

 

Bell

The V-280 Valor

 

[SSgt (Ret) Derr]

Soooooo everyone gets an osprey?

[Capt (Ret) Pepperman]

Why do they all look gross and icky. Don't take way my blackhawk damnit!

[Guest G. Miller]

https://forums.bistudio.com/forums/topic/195450-bell-v-280-valor/?page=4&tab=comments#comment-3228085

 

Is this the very same one?

 

 

Currently being built to Arma 3.

[SSgt (Ret) Derr]

8 hours ago, 2ndLt Pepperman said:

Why do they all look gross and icky. Don't take way my blackhawk damnit!

Icky?

 

 

No wonder you're afraid of birds .

Edited December 5, 2017 by SSgt Derr

[MAJ Carrera]

10 hours ago, LCpl G. Miller said:

Is this the very same one?

yes

good to see someones taking initiative but my money is on the defiance; smaller, holds about the same amount of troops and much faster.

[GySgt Cole]

1 hour ago, CW3 Carrera said:

yes

good to see someones taking initiative but my money is on the defiance; smaller, holds about the same amount of troops and much faster.

 

Plus Sikorsky has a pretty good track record with crazy new airframes

Bell should have had the Osprey safe in the late 90s but they took an extra 10 years

 

The neat thing about FVL is the 5 development categories:

• JMR-Light: Scout version to replace the OH-58 Kiowa; introduction planned for 2030.
• JMR-Medium-Light
• JMR-Medium: Utility and attack versions to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache; introduction planned for 2027–28.
• JMR-Heavy: Cargo version to replace the CH-47 Chinook; introduction planned for 2035, although Boeing expects 2060.^[15]
• JMR-Ultra: New ultra-sized version for vertical lift aircraft with performance similar to fixed-wing tactical transport aircraft, such as the C-130J Super Hercules and the Airbus A400M Atlas; introduction planned for 2025.

 

The "JMR-Ultra" is going to be fucking neat, whatever it is

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2017 by GySgt Cole

[MAJ Carrera]

 

Maybe something along the lines of what Karem offered during the Armys now defunct Joint Heavy Lift Program. possibly a way to revive the same idea under a new title. Picture is from Karems website.

Edited December 5, 2017 by CW3 Carrera

[LTC Brueske]

Maybe we could finally get something to actually lift the MRAP's in our missions

[Cpl (Ret) Eagas]

From what I am hearing on the Army side of things, they are proposing to have the airframes unmanned.  

[MAJ Carrera]

hmmm, not sure if we are quite ready for autonomous aircraft yet. We are still at infancy stages of autonomous cars. Also RIP Warrant Officers if that's the case.

[Cpl (Ret) Eagas]

25 minutes ago, CW3 Carrera said:

hmmm, not sure if we are quite ready for autonomous aircraft yet. We are still at infancy stages of autonomous cars. Also RIP Warrant Officers if that's the case.

Not Autonomous.  They would be flown remotely.  

[MAJ Carrera]

I don't really see the point of the troop transports then if your going to have troops inside anyway then you might as well include a pilot and co pilot.

[Cpl (Ret) Eagas]

That is the argument that the aviators are making.

[MAJ Carrera]

 

About frickn' time. This thing has had enough setbacks. I am excite.

[GySgt Cole]

If sikorsky doesn't get the contract I'm going to shit my panties

[MAJ Carrera]

Wondering if there is still interest in the unit regarding these programs,

 

https://theaviationist.com/2020/03/05/u-s-armys-fara-program-what-we-know-about-all-the-oh-58d-kiowa-warrior-replacement-candidates/

[HM1 (Ret) Speirs]

These designs are all so insane to me, especially compared to how rugged and mean the 60 and 64 look

[MAJ Carrera]

I really like Sikorsky's designs and want them to win, but they have had so many delays and setbacks during the program while the valor has not. I don't really like the tilt-rotor design you can basically kiss small LZ's goodby, the Valor is almost as wide as a blackhawk is long, rotor tip to tail. The "sleek" look they all have I think is an acceptable price to pay considering the advantages they have over the current ships, 64 payload aside.

[MAJ Carrera]

A good article by Pop Mech:

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a32319508/defiant-vs-valor-black-hawk-replacement/