One of the Army’s greatest strengths is the capability to project combat power across a battlespace and deliver lethal effects at a time and place where the enemy least expects it. However, our Nation’s adversaries have modernized their capabilities to chip away at the Army’s overmatch and hope to deny our forces access to key terrain or objectives in the next conflict.
Army Aviation’s vision for multi-domain operations (MDO) requires next generation vertical lift capabilities that can deter, fight, and win as part of the Joint Force in increasingly dangerous and complex environments. Future Vertical Lift (FVL) has been a DoD initiative since 2009 to develop strategic vertical lift capabilities for our warfighters. FVL is a Family of Systems (FoS) comprised of five capability sets spanning light, medium, and heavy categories.
The Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) is a pre-Major Defense Acquisition Program (ACAT 1C) that will develop and field the next generation of affordable vertical lift tactical assault/utility aircraft for the Army. FLRAA is the Capability Set 3 of the FVL FoS.
FLRAA will provide the Joint Force with an aircraft that possesses increased speed, range, survivability, and maneuverability to allow the Army to retain overmatch against enemy forces in ever-changing environments. It will provide power projection from relative sanctuary with significantly increased range, speed, mobility, and payload capabilities over current Army and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) aircraft. This medium lift, tactical assault and medical evacuation capability will augment the Army’s H-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter fleet to provide Combat Aviation Brigades with long-range, high-speed options that are survivable in contested environments. FLRAA will provide the Army and Joint Force with an advanced vertical lift aircraft that possesses advanced technologies to support MDO from 2030 and beyond.
The Army seeks to continue the industry momentum from the successful Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrator efforts. In FY20-21, the Army plans to complete requirements derivation, trade-off analysis, and preliminary conceptual design work to help inform the Army on the requirements, acquisition strategy, and program processes for the FLRAA Program of Record.
The Army’s Combat Aviation Brigades will field this capability in 2030.
Download the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) Fact Sheet [PDF - 336.7 KB]
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