All United States Army articles
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In depthBell focused on future upgrades as FLRAA advances toward delivery of first prototype
The rotorcraft manufacturer says its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) tiltrotor will be the first major Pentagon procurement programme to incorporate features designed to reduce the cost and time needed to incorporate potential new capabilities.
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NewsMilitary operators increasingly turn to business jets for specialty missions
Drawn by reliability and affordability, militaries are increasingly turning to business jets to fill niche roles within their aviation fleets including intelligence collection and electronic warfare.
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NewsL3Harris appeals selection of Sierra Nevada for US Army intelligence jet
Work on the army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System business jet-based intelligence programme is now paused, while auditors review the process by which the service selected Sierra Nevada Corporation over L3Harris.
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NewsUS Army announces survivability and communications upgrades for rotorcraft fleet
Lockheed Martin will develop a new electronic warfare system for the service’s attack helicopters, while BAE Systems is upgrading its rotary-wing fleet with new encrypted radios and missile warning systems.
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NewsNegotiations ongoing to extend Black Hawk production to 2032
Sikorsky and the US Army are continuing negotiations on the 11th multi-year procurement deal for UH-60 Black Hawks, which would see production of the iconic helicopter extended to 2032.
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NewsBell drops Spirit AeroSystems as supplier of FLRAA fuselages
The decision from Bell comes as Boeing works to close its acquisition of Spirit, which manufacturers numerous structural components for Boeing jets, including 737 fuselages.
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In depthSikorsky to modify ‘MX’ Black Hawk for autonomous flight
Under a $6 million grant from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Sikorsky will modify a government-owned UH-60M helicopter with autonomy technologies that could allow for single-pilot or fully pilotless flight.
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NewsUS Army exploring replacement for Airbus UH-72 as helicopter trainer
The US Army is seeking proposals from industry to reduce costs and increase efficiency in training new rotary-wing aviation, including replacing the militarised Airbus Helicopters H145s currently used for initial flight certification.
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NewsUS Army placing ‘many bets’ on new uncrewed systems
The US Army is rolling out a diverse range of uncrewed aerial systems for combat units small and large, with the goal of testing the wide variety of platforms currently available.
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NewsUS Army’s Pacific combat troops already training on FLRAA tiltrotor
Infantry and aviation soldiers from the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division are drilling on a mock-up of Bell’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft tiltrotor to help test cabin design and ergonomics for the aircraft, whose primary role will be ferrying assault troops into battle.
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NewsUS Army selects Anduril and Performance Drone Works to supply new tactical UAVs
The US Army jas selected two manufacturers, Anduril and Performance Drone Works, to provide the service with new uncrewed aerial vehicles that will support tactical-level ground troops in combat operations.
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NewsBoeing pitches latest Chinook variant to Poland
Boeing formally offered its latest CH-47F Block II heavy-lift helicopter to Warsaw at the MSPO show in Kielce.
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NewsTextron predicts delivery of Bell’s first FLRAA tiltrotor in 2026
Textron expects its Bell subsidiary will deliver the US Army’s first next-generation tiltrotor in 2026, with the type’s first flight happening the same year.
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In depthUS Army begins ‘most significant’ transformation of airborne surveillance in service history
Under a $991 million contract, systems integrator Sierra Nevada will convert Bombardier Global 6500 business jets into airborne surveillance and reconnaissance platforms to replace a current fleet of turboprops.
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NewsUS Army activates new aviation command to oversee Arctic flight operations
The army’s new Alaska-based Arctic Aviation Command will oversee rotary-wing flight operations in the high north, which has become an area of increased focus for the USA, Russia and China.
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NewsBell anticipates formal start of FLRAA acquisition ‘any day’
Known in Pentagon lingo as Milestone B, the decision by US Army procurement authorities will formally launch a programme of record to acquire Bell’s next-generation tiltrotor, formerly known as the V-280.
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In depthSikorsky marks 50 years of flying the UH-60 Black Hawk
Half a century ago, a prototype example of the YUH-60A Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System lifted off from Sikorsky’s Stratford, Connecticut site, marking the first flight of a rotorcraft that has since become one of the most prolific military aircraft of all time.
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NewsUS Army takes delivery of first Block II CH-47F
The delivery of a remanufactured CH-47F Chinook in the latest Block II standard marks a milestone in the US Army’s strategy to modernise its aviation fleet.
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NewsGeneral Atomics lands first order for modernised Gray Eagles
On the heels of successful engine testing for the new type, uncrewed aircraft manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems scored its first order for the GE-25M Gray Eagle, a modernised version of the venerable MQ-1C UAV, from the US Army National Guard.
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NewsArmy special mission aviators will field V-280: SOCOM
Although no formal decision has been disclosed, procurement officials with the US Special Operations Command now confirm the army’s special operations aviation regiment will field Bell’s V-280 tiltrotor in the mid-2030s, shortly after the US Army’s conventional aviators do so.