3,200 Black Hawk and Apache helicopters to be replaced with Bell V-280 Valor convertibles - Lockheed Martin and Boeing lose potential $70bn contract

In late 2022, Bell won a tender to produce the V-280 Valor convertible aircraft to replace the Black Hawk and Apache. Sikorsky (a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin) and Boeing disagreed with the US Army's decision and decided to challenge it, but it did not work out.

Here's What We Know

Sikorsky and Boeing participated in the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) bid with the joint Defiant X project. You can see an image of the helicopter below, but the specifications are not yet known. The companies have filed a protest with the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). The other day the agency finally approved Bell as the winner of the tender.

The GAO believes that the US Army correctly evaluated the designs of each of the companies. The agency rejected the claims of Sikorsky and Boeing. They were betting that the US Army misjudged Bell's proposal. Despite this, Sikorsky representatives said the Defiant X was a less risky and cheaper and more effective choice for the Army.

Nevertheless, it is Bell that will get the first contract worth $1.3 billion. The funds will be used to continue development of the V-280 Valor convertible. The US Army will then allocate $7bn for initial production, and the total cost of the programme could reach $70bn.

The US Army wants to replace 3,200 Black Hawk and Apache helicopters (2,000 and 1,200 respectively). It is not yet known how many V-280 Valor helicopters will be adopted. However, it is clear that we are not talking about a 1 to 1 replacement.

Source: Defence News