Bell Textron has awarded multinational firm Eaton a contract to power the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).
The power management firm will provide hydraulic power generation and conveyance solutions for the V-280 Valor tiltrotor, which won the FLRAA competition.
It will also deliver oil swivels, hydraulic panels, and maintenance-free accumulators.
The hydraulic solutions are expected to increase the performance and fuel efficiency of the aircraft by producing a large amount of force and torque while having a relatively smaller size than electrical or mechanical systems
They also reportedly respond to control inputs quickly and efficiently, minimizing the risk of failure.
“We look forward to continuing our relationship with Bell and the FLRAA team to develop the next generation of vertical lift aircraft for the US Army,” Eaton President Nanda Kumar said. “Our ability to provide proven, mature technologies for the FLRAA program will be key in achieving aircraft performance goals.”
Bell did not disclose the contract’s total value.
The FLRAA Program
In December 2022, the US Army announced that Bell Textron won the FLRAA program and will receive up to a $1.3 billion production contract.
It bested Boeing and Sikorsky, which jointly offered an enhanced version of the Defiant X rigid coaxial rotorcraft.
Intended to replace Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, the FLRAA should be more agile and faster than the army’s existing UH-60s.
Bell’s V-280 Valor can reportedly support longer-range missions and has twice the reported speed of existing military helicopters.
Apart from Eaton, GE Aerospace was contracted to develop avionics for the FLRAA.
