Developed by Bell Textron, a Texas-based aerospace company, the V-280 was designed with “transformational increases in speed, range, and maneuverability,” the Army said in a 2020 release.
Propelled by two Rolls-Royce turboshaft engines, the V-280’s tiltrotor design allows the aircraft to take off and land vertically like a helicopter and fly like an airplane, like the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey.
In order to be a contender for the Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, the competing aircraft were required to cruise at speeds of up to 322 miles per hour — nearly twice as fast as the Black Hawk’s cruising speed of 174 mph.
The aircraft was expected to carry up to 14 fully equipped passengers or accommodate external payloads of up to 10,000 pounds.
The FLRAA also had to be able to operate at 6,000 feet in temperatures up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and fly at least 1,700 nautical miles without refueling.
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