GE Aerospace awarded subcontract for avionics work on FLRAA

GE Aerospace was awarded a subcontract to "design, develop and deliver" avionics systems for the Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, the company announced today.

Bell Textron won the contract for FLRAA in late 2022, and the program entered milestone B last summer.

FLRAA will eventually begin operation as the successor to the Black Hawk helicopter starting around 2030, although officials have said it will not be a one-for-one replacement and Black Hawks will continue flying until the 2070s.

GE Aerospace is involved in the development of the “digital backbone,” according to a press release from the company. This allows changes to be made to the system “without going to the systems integrator, which optimizes the cost and speed of change” by moving data quickly through the aircraft.

Tanika Watson, GE Aerospace’s general manager for future vertical lift, said in a statement Monday that the digital backbone “provides the framework to make aircraft system modifications and realize the benefits of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) designs from the outside of Future Vertical Lift programs.”

“Entering this next phase enables us to continue advancing the digital backbone for the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift programs,” Watson said.