Army issues solicitation for FLRAA, expects first unit equipped in 2030

The Army, by way of an Aviation and Missile Technology Consortium Other Transaction Authority, recently issued a request for proposals for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction effort.

The FLRAA, a part of the Army's third modernization priority, Future Vertical Lift, is a multiservice effort to replace the Black Hawk helicopter. According to a recent Army release, Col. David Phillips, the program executive office for aviation's project manager for FLRAA, said the solicitation will "inform the program of record" as the service meets the aviation modernization priority.

Brig. Gen. Walter Rugen said at a Sept. 4 Defense News conference that the solicitation was the "tip of the hat towards our commitment in the Army for multiyear acceleration" and that the service expects the first unit equipped by 2030.

"We've seen the great work the entire [Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator] program has done and we'll leverage that momentum on the success that the industry has achieved across both the [technology] demonstrators and the folks that have done work on the mission system architecture," Rugen said.