For Valor: US Soldiers Get First Taste Of FLRAA

Soldiers have been using Augmented Reality (AR) to provide critical feedback for the development of the Bell Textron V-280 Valor, the U.S. Army's next-generation assault rotorcraft.

The Valor won the contract for the U.S. Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) programme in December 2022; a prototype has been produced and the aircraft is in development. If all goes to plan it is expected to come into service during 2030.

The new aircraft will have a cruising speed of 280 knots (320mph) and a range of about 2,400 miles. Its combat range is estimated at up to just over 900 miles and it will carry up to 14 troops as well as a four-person crew.

At Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii recently, U.S. Army PEO Aviation took a mockup of the cabin to give flight crews the chance to offer valuable feedback on details of the new aircraft's design.

They wore AR glasses that superimposed a virtual version of the finished aircraft over the physical mockup, allowing the wearers to visualize details such as seating configuration, controls, and cabin storage and manoeuvrability.

Multiple flight crews from the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, as well as infantry soldiers from 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team used the interactive experience to provide their insights on ergonomics and functionality.

"This exercise is important for my soldiers," said Sgt. 1st Class Jack N. Young, a platoon sergeant with 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd IBCT. "By the time this aircraft is fully fielded, my soldiers who are testing this today will be leaders, and for them to have the opportunity down the road to say that they personally assisted with the development of this aircraft that will have revolutionized air assault operations is truly just phenomenal."

PEO Aviation representatives noted that the input from experienced flight crews was vital for refining the FLRAA platform. "I think the soldiers who tested the platform today really appreciate that tilt-rotor technology is the necessary technology to get us to that twice as far, twice as fast aspect of an assault aircraft" said Col. Jeffrey A. Poquette, FLRAA project manager.

"The other thing that I think... {flight crews] truly appreciate is the ability to enhance the features that matter to them. What they think about is where are the controls, are they easy to get to, can they get in and out of their seats quickly, can they get off the aircraft without tripping and falling?”

• You can read more details on the U.S. Army website