Bell unveils new future vertical lift Manufacturing Technology Center

Bell announced today it has a new Manufacturing Technology Center for the company's future vertical lift aircraft.

The 140,000-square-foot center, located in Fort Worth, TX, will be used by Bell to test and refine technologies "demonstrating manufacturing readiness and ability to successfully build and support" FVL aircraft, according to a press release.

Bell was selected earlier this year for its 360 Invictus aircraft to build prototypes for the competitive flight test phase for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, the Army's No. 1 priority under its FVL effort.

The company is also currently in a two-year competitive demonstration and risk-reduction phase for the next FVL priority, the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft competition, with its offering called the V-280 Valor.

"The MTC is the next step in successfully deploying new manufacturing technologies and processes into Bell's future factories," Glenn Isbell, Bell vice president for rapid prototyping and manufacturing innovation, said in a statement. "These future factories working together with our teammates and suppliers will be designed to enable high-quality, high-rate production of the Bell V-280 Valor, Bell 360 Invictus and other future aircraft."

In a video accompanying the press release, Bell Executive Vice President for Government Affairs and Communications Robert Hastings said the MTC will allow Bell to evaluate and compare technologies that are available, bring in technologies from different manufacturing suppliers and increase innovation around manufacturing.