Aerospace firm Safran has signed an agreement with Bell Textron to provide starter-generation systems for the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program.
The partnership will allow Safran to lead the supply of a high-voltage generator for the FLRAA, which is set to replace the army’s UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
It will feature a high-speed rotor and advanced power electronics for precision control and reliability.
The system will help the FLRAA conduct vertical take-off and landing, and have the range and speed of a twin turboprop aircraft.
“This new agreement is a mark of confidence and strengthens decades of relationship with Bell on both commercial and military helicopters,” Safran Twinsburg General Manager Joshua Haury said.
Design, development, and qualification of the system will take place at Safran’s Twinsburg, Ohio and Sarasota, Florida facilities.
The FLRAA Program
Initiated by the army in 2019, the FLRAA program seeks to replace the force’s UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache fleet with a faster, more agile scout helicopter.
Defense firms such as Eaton and Leonardo have joined the initiative to develop capabilities for the aircraft,
The program aims to launch the aircraft by 2030.
