Program Executive Office, Aviation announces the Project Agreement Holders (PAHs) for the second phase of the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction (CD&RR) efforts.

The Army’s PEO Aviation, working with Army Contracting Command, Redstone recently awarded the FLRAA CD&RR Phase II project agreements under the Aviation and Missile Technology Consortium Other Transaction Authority (OTA) to Bell Textron Incorporated, and the Sikorsky-Boeing Team. These OTA agreements will require the PAHs to complete an initial preliminary design event for major subsystems and the conceptual weapons system. CD&RR Phase II will execute in near parallel with the programmatic source selection activities and supports preliminary analysis of requirements for Special Operations Command, MEDEVAC and Defense Exportability Features in FLRAA. This strategy will enable the winning offeror to complete both air vehicle and weapons system preliminary design reviews in less than a year after the programmatic contract award, thus advancing the schedule to an earlier Milestone B decision. An earlier Milestone B decision will provide more time for detailed design, building, and testing of prototype air vehicles.

“The award of these agreements is a significant milestone for FLRAA,” said Brig. Gen. Rob Barrie, Program Executive Officer, Aviation. “CD&RR Phase II accelerates digital engineering design work to the subsystem level and mitigates industrial base workforce risk while maintaining competition.” He continued, “Through CD&RR efforts, Army leaders have had the ability to make early, informed decisions ensuring FLRAA capabilities are not only affordable, but that they meet Multi-Domain Operations requirements while delivering on an aggressive schedule that does not sacrifice rigor for speed.”

Maj. Gen. Wally Rugen, director of the Army Future Command’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Cross- Functional Team (CFT), applauded the total team effort that has led to this milestone event.

“This has truly been a collaborative effort between the organizations,” Rugen said. “The use of the OTAs enabled the alignment of draft requirements with the FVL CFT, executed cost informed requirements trade-off analysis, generated cost efficiencies, and increased flexibility for the Army. I’m very proud of the team and looking forward to seeing the fruits of the second phase of CD&RR efforts to continue burning down risk. We appreciate the continued support from Congress and Army Senior Leaders that postures FLRAA for a stable and executable program of record.”

The agreements support one of the Army’s top priorities: FLRAA is a key capability within the FVL ecosystem and FVL is one of the Army’s top six modernization efforts. FLRAA enables Multi-Domain Operations, flies further and faster than existing aircraft, and provides air assault and MEDEVAC support to the maneuver force in a contested and ever-changing environment. FLRAA enables the Army to retain its ability to project combat power in support of the maneuver force.

Crucial to the success of FLRAA’s objectives is the deliberate integration of a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) into its requirements, acquisition, and sustainment strategy. MOSA is a critical enabler for improving lifecycle affordability, directly aligning with Army Aviation objectives to achieve sustained affordability and deliver continuous capability upgrades against future threats.

MOSA is a foundational element for all Army Aviation efforts and allows for the accelerated integration of capabilities. MOSA will significantly reduce different and divergent architectures, ensuring that both enduring and future fleets are affordable, sustainable, and upgradeable as the Army encounters threats that change and evolve.

The FLRAA CD&RR is a critical effort; PEO Aviation will be working with industry in the digital engineering environment ahead of the program of record to ensure the Army understands the performance, cost, and schedule risks; requirements trades; and affordability needed to successfully execute the FLRAA program and achieve a first unit equipped in FY30.

This press release was prepared and distributed by the U.S. Army.