The Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center with the Program Executive Office, Aviation, Oct. 3 officially selected two teams, one led by Bell Helicopter [TXT], the other led by Sikorsky [UTX] and Boeing [BA], for continued investment under the Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) Air Vehicle efforts.
These teams will build technology demonstration aircraft with flight tests starting in 2017. Bell offers the V-280 Valor; Sikorsky-Boeing the SB1 Defiant.
Both teams revealed their selection Aug. 12, but not the contractual amounts.
The two other JMR TD teams, Karem Aircraft Inc. and AVX Aircraft Co., also offer technologies and configurations of interest, AMRDEC said in an Oct. 3 statement. The Army wants to continue technology development efforts with those teams, which will be based on resources and opportunities.
“The intent of the JMR TD effort is to maximize the knowledge gained and risk reduction toward an anticipated Future Vertical Lift acquisition program,” said Dan Bailey, JMR/FVL program director. “The baseline strategy based on the current funding allocation requires descope (a reduction) from the four initial designs to two for build and flight test.”
The JMR-TD is the science and technology (S&T) effort managed under the Aviation Development Directorate AMRDEC to mature technologies and reduce risk toward an anticipated FVL Program of Record (PoR). The Army-led S&T JMR-TD is an effort to assess designs for next-generation vertical-lift aircraft by 2030 and to develop and demonstrate standards and performance expectations for advanced electronic and avionics capabilities.
The JMR-TD is part of the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Concept, an initiative for a family of advanced helicopters for use in the United States armed forces. A basic principle of FVL is using common hardware such as sensors, avionics, engines, and countermeasures.
A Capabilities-Based Assessment (CBA) and strategic plan completed by the Defense Department calls for FVL to focus and integrate all vertical capabilities and technology development. The initiative is led by an executive steering group that is co-chaired by the J-8 DDFAS and OSD (AT&L) Director of Land Warfare and Munitions.
AMRDEC develops technology and engineering solutions, and is part of the Research, Development and Engineering Command, itself a major subordinate unit of Army Materiel Command.