Program Executive Office, Aviation announces the Project Agreement holders for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction (CD&RR).

The Army’s PEO Aviation, working with Army Contracting Command, Redstone recently awarded the FLRAA CD&RR project agreements under the Aviation and Missile Technology Consortium Other Transaction Authority (OTA) to Bell Textron Incorporated, and Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. These competitively awarded OTA agreements consist of risk reduction activities that combine government research with input from industry partners to inform the future development and procurement of the FLRAA weapons system. Deliverables include initial conceptual designs, requirements feasibility, and trade studies using model based systems engineering. These CD&RR agreements will extend over two years, informing the final Army requirements and the program of record planned for competition in 2022.

“These agreements are an important milestone for FLRAA,” said Mr. Patrick Mason, Program Executive Officer, Aviation. “The CD&RR continues to transition technologies from the JMR-TD effort to the FLRAA weapons system design. We will be conducting analysis to refine the requirements, conceptual designs, and acquisition approach.” He continued, “Ultimately, this information and industry feedback are vital to understanding the performance, cost, affordability, schedule risks and trades needed to successfully execute the FLRAA program.”

According to Brig. Gen. Wally Rugen, director of the Army Future Command’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Cross-Functional Team, teamwork played a major role in the decision process.

“I’m very proud of the collaborative work done by this team of teams and excited about the award of the OTA agreements for the CD&RR efforts to continue burning down risk and setting conditions for the FLRAA program four year acceleration. We appreciate the support from Congress and Army Senior Leaders that postures FLRAA for a stable and executable program of record.” Rugen said.

The agreements support one of the Army’s top priorities: FLRAA is a key capability within the FVL ecosystem and FVL is one of the Army’s top six modernization efforts. FLRAA will enable Multi-Domain Operations, fly further and faster than existing aircraft, and provide air assault and MEDEVAC support to the maneuver force in a contested and ever-changing environment. It will enable the Army to retain its ability to project combat power in support of the maneuver force.

The FLRAA CD&RR is a critical effort; PEO Aviation will be working with industry in the digital engineering environment ahead of the program of record to ensure the Army understands the performance, cost, and schedule risks; requirements trades; and affordability needed to successfully execute the FLRAA program and achieve a first unit equipped in FY30.