Future Vertical Lift

Bell V-280 Bell 360

Lethal.
Affordable.
Sustainable.

Bell leads the way in supporting the U.S. Army and U.S. Special Forces Future Vertical Lift (FVL) requirements and is focused on providing lethality, sustainability and reach. Our innovative team is rapidly evolving solutions that will stay ahead of America's future threats. We are ready now with the right talent, effective product capabilities, and the capacity to produce the next generation of Army Aviation.
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Multi-Domain Operations

The future of vertical lift relies on capable platforms ready to dominate a Multi-Domain Operational environment. With speeds twice that of current platforms and strategic deployment ranges greater than their predecessors, the Bell V-280 Valor and 360 Invictus harness powerful weapons systems to achieve overmatch against competitors. Discover how the aircraft features support these two revolutionary platforms.

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Content Theme Army Modernization
  • Army Modernization
  • Sustainability
  • Aircraft Capabilities
Bell V-280 and Bell 360 in flight over a battlefield.

EXCLUSIVE: Q&A with Army Acquisition Chief Bruce Jette

National Defense Magazine | nationaldefensemagazine.org
Army Acquisition Chief, Bruce Jette, shares updates on how the Army’s top six modernization priorities are progressing.

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Bell V-280 in flight. The Bell V-280 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.

US Army’s Future Vertical Lift program will transform industry, so we must get it right

Defense News | defensenews.com
To deliver the capabilities FVL requires affordably — in development, production and sustainment — industry will have to leverage new design and production techniques that deliver critical components with high quality and moderate cost.

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How a Unique Partnership is Helping Modernize the U.S. Army

As the Army works to modernize, it's using a new approach to get the most innovative technology possible for the warfighter. The key to success: partnering with industry from the beginning. And the V-280 is proof.

How the New Defense Budget Supports Army Modernization

As the U.S. Army prepares to modernize its aircraft fleet to harness the power of new vertical flight technology with greater range and versatility, the requested budget is critical to making the modernization effort successful.

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Army Futures Command Makes Strides in First Year

Developing these aircraft, so far, has been swift and successful, thanks to the Army’s Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) program, which is essentially an industry competition that allows companies, like Bell, to develop the next-generation technology alongside the Army.

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Bell V-280 in flight. The Bell V-280 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.

Army Won’t Wait For Sikorsky To Catch Up To Bell

Breaking Defense | breakingdefense.com
"We don't have the time or luxury to wait for people," Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said. "They've got to keep pace with us if they want to do business with us."

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The Future Battlespace

Shephard Media | shephardmedia.com
The future battlespace will be shaped by the advanced vertical lift technology being designed and tested today. As the Bell V-280 Valor presses on, expanding its envelope, and the Bell 360 Invictus continues to pique national interest, Bell teams are already laying the groundwork for this future.

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Assessing the Affordability of the Army’s Future Vertical Lift Portfolio

Center for Strategic and International Studies | csis.org
Future Vertical Lift, the Army's effort to develop a new generation of vertical lift systems, is one of its top modernization priorities. As part of this effort, the Army is pioneering the use of a combination of acquisition approaches that depart from the traditional defense acquisition system.

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Harnessing the Digital Thread

Using a computer-based model - the "digital thread" - for engineering development has numerous benefits, not least of which is the rapidity of development through the ability to make and test parts digitally rather than in hardware.

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Bell 360 outside a hangar at night. The Bell 360 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.

'Team Invictus' to work on Bell's FARA prototype

Inside Defense | insidedefense.com
Bell was selected earlier this year as one of two companies to build prototypes for the competitive flight test phase for FARA, the Army’s No. 1 priority under the service's future vertical lift effort.

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Bell 360 in flight over lush trees. The Bell 360 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.

FARA: Bell Touts 'Elegance In Simplicity'

Breaking Defense | breakingdefense.com
To meet the Army's ambitious requirements for a new frontline scout, the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft competition, "you have to design in that high performance and, at the same time, ensure that you're sustainable and affordable in the long term," Flail told me. "The Army's going to have this aircraft in the fleet for decades, and it's got to be able to be maintained in the dirt."

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Bell V-280 Flies Autonomously for First Time

Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor demonstrator flew autonomously for the first time Dec. 18 at Bell's facility in Arlington, Texas.

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Bell V-280 Reinvents Vertical Lift Mobility

America’s security and vital national interests are challenged like never before by peer competitors, and non-state actors, seeking to erode our influence and degrade our ability to help enable peace and stability.

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The Bell V-280 Valor Proves the Future of Vertical Lift is Now

In January, the Bell V-280 Valor reached its namesake cruising speed of 280 knots true airspeed. See what it's capable of.

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V-280 Answers Army's call for high-tech and affordable

As the U.S. Army works to modernize, one thing is clear, all priority programs must have next-generation technology, without next-generation cost. That includes Future Vertical Lift and the Future Long-Range Attack Aircraft. The good news, Bell has the Army's affordable, high-tech option: the Bell V-280.

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Media gallery

Bell V-280 Valor in flight. The Bell V-280 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.
Bell V-280 Valor in flight. The Bell V-280 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.
Bell V-280 Valor in flight. The Bell V-280 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.
Bell 360 Invictus in flight. The Bell 360 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Aerial Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.
Cockpit view of the Bell 360 Invictus in flight. The Bell 360 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Aerial Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.
Bell V-280 Valor in flight. The Bell V-280 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.
Bell V-280 Valor in flight showing fast rope missions. The Bell V-280 is Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.
Bell V-280 Valor and Bell 360 in flight. The Bell V-280 and Bell 360 are Bell's entry to the U.S. Army's Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition.
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