Army process to replace Black Hawk helicopter stalls

Mar 30, 2023

Ryan Robertson Anchor, Investigative Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor, Investigative Reporter)

For decades, the U.S. military used Black Hawk helicopters for a variety of missions, from troop transport to submarine hunting. However, the military’s need to modernize coupled with a series of high-profile crashes in the last few years has the Army searching for the Black Hawk’s successor.

In December of 2022, the Army thought it had made its choice when it selected Textron’s Bell V-280 Valor for its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). The Valor is a tilt-rotor aircraft that has twice the range and speed of the Army’s current fleet.

According to the deal, Bell would initially receive $1.3 billion to start building Valors for the Army. The Army said it initially plans to replace roughly 2,000 Black Hawks, but not at a one-to-one ration. If the Army eventually orders a full-complement of Valors, the contract could be worth around $70 billion.

With figures that high, Congress took notice of the Army’s purchase order, and wanted to know why Bell’s Valor was selected over the Defiant X, a collaboration between Sikorsky and Boeing. The team behind the Defiant X is also challenging the Army’s decision, reportedly citing flaws in the Army’s acquisition process.

Despite our delegation’s repeated requests, the Army unreasonably & irresponsibly has refused to provide us—or the public—with any information about why Sikorsky’s bid to build Future Long Range Assault Aircraft was rejected. https://t.co/DwYQmuOTYC

— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) February 2, 2023

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D) is from Connecticut, where Lockheed Martin-owned Sikorsky is based. He said the Army is refusing to tell the public why the Valor was chosen instead of the Defiant X. The project would have no doubt brought millions in revenue to his state.

When it comes to contracts like this however, it’s fairly common for the military to not disclose many details while the losing bidder is actively challenging the decision. Which, again, Sikorsky-Boeing is doing.

The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) is looking into the deal. The GAO will decide sometime in April whether the Army awarded the contract fairly. However, there is a possibility the battle over the Army’s FLRAA could ultimately be fought in a courtroom.

Tags: Black Hawk helicopter, Boeing, Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Army, U.S. Congress, U.S. military

FOR DECADES, THE US MILITARY USED BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS FOR A VARIETY OF MISSIONS, FROM TROOP TRANSPORT TO SUBMARINE HUNTING. THE MILITARY’S NEED TO MODERNIZE, HOWEVER, COUPLED WITH A SERIES OF HIGH-PROFILE CRASHES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS THE ARMY SEARCHING FOR THE BLACK HAWK’S SUCCESSOR.

IN DECEMBER, THE ARMY THOUGHT IT HAD MADE ITS CHOICE WHEN IT SELECTED TEXTRON’S BELL V-280 VALOR FOR IT’S FUTURE LONG-RANGE ASSAULT AIRCRAFT. THE VALOR IS A TILT-ROTOR AIRCRAFT THAT HAS TWICE THE RANGE AND SPEED OF THE ARMY’S CURRENT FLEET.

ACCORDING TO THE DEAL, TEXTRON BELL WOULD INITIALLY RECEIVE $1.3 BILLION TO START BUILDING VALORS FOR THE ARMY. IF THE ARMY ORDERS A FULL-COMPLEMENT OF VALORS, THE CONTRACT COULD BE WORTH AROUND $70 BILLION.

WITH FIGURES THAT HIGH, CONGRESS TOOK NOTICE OF THE ARMY’S PURCHASE ORDER, AND WANTED TO KNOW WHY BELL’S VALOR WAS SELECTED OVER THE DEFIANT X, A COLLABORATION BETWEEN SIKORSKY AND BOEING. THE TEAM BEHIND THE DEFIANT X IS ALSO CHALLENGING THE ARMY’S DECISION–REPORTEDLY CITING FLAWS IN THE ARMY’S ACQUISITION PROCESS.

SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHALL IS FROM CONNECTICUT, WHERE LOCKHEED-MARTIN OWNED SIKORSKY IS BASED. HE SAID THE ARMY IS REFUSING TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHY THE VALOR WAS CHOSEN, INSTEAD OF THE DEFIANT X, A PROJECT THAT WOULD HAVE NO DOUBT BROUGHT MILLIONS IN REVENUE TO HIS STATE.

WHEN IT COMES TO CONTRACTS LIKE THIS HOWEVER, IT’S FAIRLY COMMON FOR THE MILITARY TO NOT DISCLOSE MANY DETAILS WHILE THE LOSING BIDDER IS ACTIVELY CHALLENGING THE DECISION.

THE NONPARTISAN GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE IS LOOKING INTO THE DEAL. THE GAO WILL DECIDE SOMETIME IN APRIL WHETHER THE ARMY AWARDED THE CONTRACT FAIRLY. HOWEVER, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THE BATTLE OVER THE ARMY’S FUTURE LONG-RANGE ASSAULT AIRCRAFT COULD ULTIMATELY BE FOUGHT IN A COURTROOM.

YOU CAN FIND MORE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING ABOUT OTHER MILITARY WEAPONS PROJECTS AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.