The US Army has received the first of two MV-75 Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) virtual prototypes created by Bell Textron, with the second set to be delivered to the Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama, later this month.
The sophisticated simulator, which is based on the FLRAA’s digital twin, is designed to be utilized for instruction and evaluation in order to influence the future physical aircraft’s design. It may eventually be turned into a flight training gadget as well.
The purpose of the device is for soldiers to evaluate the rotorcraft’s design, hardware, software, performance, and safety, as well as experiment with various mission scenarios and strategies, and provide feedback.
“Our virtual prototype shows a clear path to delivering a next-generation multi-mission aircraft that will fundamentally change how the Army conducts long-range assault operations,” FLRAA Project Manager Col. Jeffrey Poquette said.
This delivery is the result of a Middle Tier of Acquisition strategy that was implemented to accelerate the program. The program advanced to the engineering and manufacturing development phase following a Milestone B decision in June 2024.
Brig. Gen. David Phillips, the Army Aviation Program Executive Officer, hailed the virtual prototype delivery, calling it a demonstration of “the transformational power of digital engineering in aircraft development.”
“Thanks to continuous support from Army leadership, the Department of Defense, and Congress, we’ve been able to speed up the FLRAA program and deliver next-generation aviation capabilities to the warfighter sooner than ever,” Phillips said.
