US, Netherlands ink agreement on future rotorcraft info sharing, including FARA, FLRAA

US, Netherlands ink agreement on future rotorcraft info sharing, including FARA, FLRAA
US, Netherlands ink agreement on future rotorcraft info sharing, including FARA, FLRAA

“One of the pitfalls from the past was that we were focusing too much on national requirements instead of Alliance or coalition requirements,” said Maj. Gen. Andre Steur, national capability director in the Dutch Defence Ministry.

From Dutch to Deutsch, Army experiment wrangled wildly complex allied networking

From Dutch to Deutsch, Army experiment wrangled wildly complex allied networking
From Dutch to Deutsch, Army experiment wrangled wildly complex allied networking

“[I] don’t want to oversell it. We got way more work to do than what wins we made, but those were very encouraging signs,” said Maj. Gen. Walter Rugen, director of the Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team.

With robo-choppers on the horizon, Army leaders envision ‘minimally manned’ missions

With robo-choppers on the horizon, Army leaders envision ‘minimally manned’ missions
With robo-choppers on the horizon, Army leaders envision ‘minimally manned’ missions

“I have a hard time believing we’re going to have 35 Rangers in the back of an aircraft and they’re going to go up and knock on the door of the cockpit and there’s no one in there,” said Gen. James McConville.

Networks as ‘center of gravity’: Project Convergence highlights military’s new battle with bandwidth

Networks as ‘center of gravity’: Project Convergence highlights military’s new battle with bandwidth
Networks as ‘center of gravity’: Project Convergence highlights military’s new battle with bandwidth

In desert experiments, Army races to develop tactics for transferring data — and realizes high-def video can create potentially fatal data bottlenecks.

Lack of future helo doesn’t stop Army’s Future Vertical Lift experiments in the desert

Lack of future helo doesn’t stop Army’s Future Vertical Lift experiments in the desert
Lack of future helo doesn’t stop Army’s Future Vertical Lift experiments in the desert

Project Convergence 21 showed off new, networked, autonomous capabilities to be added to next-gen helicopters.

‘Come In Low’: Army Aviation Modifies Training To Prepare For Rivals Like Russia, China

‘Come In Low’: Army Aviation Modifies Training To Prepare For Rivals Like Russia, China
‘Come In Low’: Army Aviation Modifies Training To Prepare For Rivals Like Russia, China

“We’re going to be flying in lower flight profiles than we have over the last 20 years in counterinsurgency operations and so, even today, we are changing the way we train Army aviators,” said Maj. Gen. David Francis.

FVL: Army Can Afford Both Scout & Transport, General Pledges

FVL: Army Can Afford Both Scout & Transport, General Pledges
FVL: Army Can Afford Both Scout & Transport, General Pledges

The Army has learned from the Comanche scout chopper debacle, where it spent $9 billion in today’s dollars to get just two prototypes. With Future Vertical Lift, $7 billion will get 18 prototype aircraft, counting both the FARA scout and FLRAA transport.

FTUAS: Army Blown Away By New Drones (In Rain)

FTUAS: Army Blown Away By New Drones (In Rain)
FTUAS: Army Blown Away By New Drones (In Rain)

“Shadow could never fly in this type of moisture, couldn’t even come close,” Brig. Gen. Walter Rugen said, but all four FTUAS candidates made it through the rain. The formal Army Requirements Oversight Council process begins in weeks.

EXCLUSIVE: Army Airpower To Strike Deep In EDGE21 Wargame

EXCLUSIVE: Army Airpower To Strike Deep In EDGE21 Wargame
EXCLUSIVE: Army Airpower To Strike Deep In EDGE21 Wargame

New drones – launched by helicopters in flight and built by the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office – will reach out “hundreds of kilometers.” Marine F-35s, 82nd Airborne troops, and Special Ops will also participate in exercise EDGE21.

FVL: Army’s High-Speed Helicopters Hurtle Ahead

FVL: Army’s High-Speed Helicopters Hurtle Ahead
FVL: Army’s High-Speed Helicopters Hurtle Ahead

Bell and Sikorsky have started building their competing prototypes for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) ahead of a Final Design Review in November. The vital digital architecture is still in development.

Kill Chain In The Sky With Data: Army’s Project Convergence

Kill Chain In The Sky With Data: Army’s Project Convergence
Kill Chain In The Sky With Data: Army’s Project Convergence

Over the southwest desert, drones large and small are autonomously avoiding anti-aircraft threats while feeding real-time targeting data over an AI network to troops on the ground.

Army’s Shift To FVL Poses Big Risks For Small Suppliers

Army’s Shift To FVL Poses Big Risks For Small Suppliers
Army’s Shift To FVL Poses Big Risks For Small Suppliers

After decades of building traditional helicopters in traditional ways, contractors must get ready for the Army’s new high-speed Future Vertical Lift aircraft. Small makers of key parts need help.

FVL: The Army’s 10-Year Plan For FARA Scout

FVL: The Army’s 10-Year Plan For FARA Scout
FVL: The Army’s 10-Year Plan For FARA Scout

The Army’s urgently developing new air-launched drones, long-range missiles, and electronic architecture to go on the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft that Bell and Sikorsky are vying to build.

FVL Q&A: 7 Leaders On The Future Of Army Aviation

FVL Q&A: 7 Leaders On The Future Of Army Aviation
FVL Q&A: 7 Leaders On The Future Of Army Aviation

New Future Vertical Lift aircraft are just part of the solution. So are new tactics and technology upgrades for existing helicopters.