The Bell V-280 Valor is the only Future Vertical Lift ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴs system with flight-proven agility, speed, range, endurance, and overall performance. It was specially developed by Bell and Lockheed Martin for the Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk. The FLRAA program is intended to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk. In addition to this, it incorporates the advantages of a proven tiltrotor platform, which include decreased risk and lower long-term costs.
The design of V-280 is derived from the UH-60 Black Hawk medium lift helicopter with major necessary changes. While the V-280 has a slightly broader footprint than the Black Hawk, it is also more than 20% shorter, thanks to the absence of exposed rotors on the leading and trailing edges of the footprint.
This footprint, which is unique to the V-280 layout, allows for more landing zone flexibility and increased personnel safety everywhere around the aircraft. Actions in and out of the landing zone do not require any clutching or de-clutching mechanisms of sophisticated propulsors with routine tilting of the proprotors. The fuselage, however, resembles that of the Black Hawk. When landing, the wing is more than 7 feet above the ground, allowing personnel to readily exit through two 6-foot-wide side doors and door ɢᴜɴɴᴇʀs to have vast fields of fire.
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