Latest news with #V280Valor
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
See the MV-75 tiltrotor set to be the US Army's next premier air assault vehicle and replace the UH-60 Black Hawk
The US Army designated Bell's V-280 Valor as its next-generation air assault vehicle, the MV-75. The tiltrotor is part of the Army's plan to modernize its aging fleet of military helicopters. The Army plans to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk with the MV-75 by the 2030s. It flies like a helicopter, cruises like a plane, and could redefine how the US Army fights wars within the next decade. The Army chose the Bell V-280 Valor as its next-generation assault aircraft, designed to fly longer and faster than current rotorcraft. Officially designated the MV-75, the Army is betting on the Bell tiltrotor to modernize its aging fleet of military helicopters. For nearly 50 years, the UH-60 Black Hawk has been the Army's airborne workhorse. The Army plans to continue flying the Black Hawk for the next several years as it fast-tracks the rollout of the new tiltrotor replacement fleet in the 2030s. Bell V-280 Valor Developed by Bell Textron, a Texas-based aerospace company, the V-280 was designed with "transformational increases in speed, range, and maneuverability," the Army said in a 2020 release. Propelled by two Rolls-Royce turboshaft engines, the V-280's tiltrotor design allows the aircraft to take off and land vertically like a helicopter and fly like an airplane, like the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey. In order to be a contender for the Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, the competing aircraft were required to cruise at speeds of up to 322 miles per hour — nearly twice as fast as the Black Hawk's cruising speed of 174 mph. The aircraft was expected to carry up to 14 fully equipped passengers or accommodate external payloads of up to 10,000 pounds. The FLRAA also had to be able to operate at 6,000 feet in temperatures up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and fly at least 1,700 nautical miles without refueling. A 'leap ahead' Gen. James Mingus, the Army's vice chief of staff, described the MV-75 as a "leap ahead in technology and capability." "It delivers operational reach that alters how we close with the enemy," Mingus said at the Army Aviation Association of America conference on May 14. "It brings the right combination of speed, payload, and survivability we've never had in one aircraft." The concept is that each MV-75 can rush over a dozen heavily loaded troopers onto assault missions that can catch an enemy off guard. Next-generation military helicopters Bell's V-280 Valor was selected in 2022 as the Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, chosen over the Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant X. The FLRAA is part of the Army's broader effort to modernize its aerial fleet, known as Future Vertical Lift. The Army also planned to develop a new armed scout helicopter known as the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, but the program was canceled earlier this year to prioritize the fielding of the MV-75. The Army is "not just committed to the programme, but how we do it faster as well," Mingus said. Multimission Vertical Takeoff The "M" in the aircraft's designation refers to its multimission purpose, and the "V" represents its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability. While the MV-75 design has yet to be finalized, the future tiltrotor is expected to have a baseline variant that will incorporate features to adapt it to special operations. After entering the engineering and manufacturing stage last year, Bell is under contract to build six prototypes of the MV-75. The Texas-based aerospace company projects to complete its first flight in 2026 and low-rate initial production in 2028. The aircraft is slated to be delivered to the Army around 2030. 'Rapid response and enhanced maneuverability' The next-generation aircraft is expected to serve on missions involving vertical lift, air assault, maritime interdiction, medical evacuation, combat search and rescue, humanitarian relief, and tactical resupply. 101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division, the only Army division specializing in air assault operations, is set to be the first frontline unit to field the MV-75. For nearly six decades, the unit's Combat Aviation Brigade has been operating assault helicopters, such as AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters, UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters, and CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. "The 101st flies into real-world contested environments, across wide terrain, often without the luxury of fixed support infrastructure," Mingus said. "They need speed, endurance, and reliability." Preparing for a fight in the Pacific The modernization of the Army's aerial fleet comes as the US military prepares for a potential conflict with China. The long-range mobility of the Army's future aircraft fleet is essential for the vast Pacific theater, consisting of island chains separated by long distances and limited Army infrastructure in the region. The Future Vertical Lift initiative is also focused on enhancing survivability against Chinese and Russian air defenses by equipping future aircraft with high-speed capabilities and reduced radar signatures. Autonomous and semi-autonomous flight Amid the Pentagon's push for AI use within its ranks, the Army is also looking to integrate autonomous and semi-autonomous flight technology into its systems, including the MV-75. "The Army wants to make sure that aircraft can be unmanned," Textron CEO Scott Donnelly said during an earnings call in April. In December 2019, the V-280 Valor successfully completed an autonomous test flight at the company's research center in Arlington, Texas, though two pilots remained onboard to intervene if necessary. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
101st Airborne tapped as first unit to get new Black Hawk replacement
The 101st Airborne Division will be the first unit to get the Army's new tiltrotor aircraft. This week the Army announced that the 101st will get to use Bell's V-280 Valor, a next-generation replacement for the aging H-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, the division's attached aviation unit, will receive the aircraft, which recently was given its official mission-design series designator of the MV-75. The choice of the 101st 'was based on their mission profile and theater demands,' Gen. James Mingus, the Army's vice chief of staff, said during his remarks at the Army Aviation Association of America conference this week. 'This decision makes sense, the 101st is a formation built to deploy rapidly and operate in austere conditions,' he continued. Bell's V-280 Valor, was selected in 2022 as the winner of the Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft competition. The vertical take off and landing craft has two engines and is designed for both assault and transport purposes. According to the manufacturer, the aircraft is capable of a top speed of 280 knots (which led to its name) and has a range of 800 nautical miles, both greater than Black Hawk. Beyond speed, the aircraft can also carry a greater number of soldiers and cargo than the Black Hawk. Mingus said that the initial testing by the 101st Airborne Division will be used to shape MV-75 tactics and doctrine, per Janes. The Army operates roughly 2,000 Black Hawk helicopters, which have been in use since the 1970s. The Army previously said it expects to field the MV-75 by 2030. According to TWZ, the MV-75 designation is an homage to the year 1775, the birth year of the U.S. Army. The Army is currently carrying out several events and projects commemorating its 250th birthday. Earlier this month U.S. Special Operations Command said that the V-280 was changed in development to allow it to carry more weight, with the intention of making it more easily convertible for use by special operations units. The Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment currently uses MH-60M variants of Black Hawks, which require extensive modifications to be mission ready. The assignment comes as the Army is also aiming to shift how it uses its helicopter units. In late April, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a memo directing a major transformation of the overall U.S. Army. That included restructuring of commands, a greater focus on integrating tactics around drones, and a reshaping of helicopter units. Hegseth's memo directed the Secretary of the Army to 'reduce and restructure manned attack helicopter formations,' as well as design them to work in coordination with drone swarms. It's unclear how testing on the MV-75 will play into that goal. Army infantry officer calls new XM7 'unfit for use as a modern service rifle' Attempted Fort Leavenworth prison break leaves military inmate tangled on fence When Americans, Germans and POWs fought the SS from the walls of a castle This Army combat medic fought off an active shooter and rendered first aid This 53 aircraft 'elephant walk' has everything you'd need for a war in the Pacific
