Aerospace

Next-gen US military helicopters prepare for 2017 flights

The US Army's Joint Multirole-Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD)/Future Vertical Lift (FVL) effort is moving towards first flights in 2017, but meanwhile is focused on crucial system architecture demonstrations.

Dan Bailey, the army's programme director for JMR/FVL, said the effort is demonstrating the platform and, perhaps more importantly, its mission system architecture.

US Army and US Navy planners hope to eventually replace a variety of aircraft via FVL. Among other initial parameters, the government is seeking a platform to carry 4 crew and 12 or more troops, self-deploy out to 2,100 n miles, and fly at up to 230 kt or more.

"We're into the second of our mission system architecture demonstrations," Bailey said during 23 September comments at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.