Bell V-280 Valor Helicopter: The US Army’s Anointed Successor to the Blackhawk
Story by Christian Orr • Yesterday 2:29 PM
In the mid-1970s the U.S. Army initiated Future Vertical Lift (FVL) and Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) programs. Some of the craft to come out of those initiatives include the Defiant X helicopter and the UH-60 Blackhawk, which lifted off in 1975. Though the Defiant had many desirable features, it didn’t win the contract bid. Although true to form for military contracting world competition, that bidding decision is currently under protest – and now we’re going to take a look at the chopper that won the contract: the Bell V-280 Valor assault/utility tiltrotor warbird.
The Valor made her maiden flight on December 18, 2017, in Amarillo, Texas, though she had actually been officially unveiled at the Army Aviation Association of America’s Annual Professional Forum and Exposition in Fort Worth back in 2013. As the manufacturer, Bell Textron, proclaims on its official info page:
“Purpose-built to revolutionize the reach and effectiveness of each mission while offering unmatched maneuverability, reduced downtime and elevated mission safety. With over twice the speed and range as current weapons systems, the Bell V-280 Valor is the proven long-range maneuver solution … Combining the speed and range of the turboprop with advanced agility greater than a traditional helicopter, the Bell V-280 Valor offers better flight performance and lifecycle sustainability. This weapon system was purpose built to revolutionize U.S. Army overmatch in multi-domain operations.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bell-v-280-valor-helicopter-the-us-army-s-anointed-successor-to-the-blackhawk/ar-AA19qkO8?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=2151077c1a0240d8a0aee022a2a71ce7&ei=9
