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55-821: On 5 December 2022, the V-280 was chosen by the US Army as the winner of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk . As of April 2024, limited user tests are planned for 2027 to 2028 with the first deployment expected in 2031. In June 2013, Bell Helicopter announced that the V-280 Valor design had been selected by the US Army for the Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Technology Demonstrator (TD) phase. The JMR-TD phase

110-727: A statement for the record for various subcommittees of the United States Congress. Most GAO studies and reports are initiated by requests from members of Congress, including requests mandated in statute, and so reflect concerns of current political import, for example to study the impact of a government-wide hiring freeze. Many reports are issued periodically and take a long view of U.S. agencies' operations. The GAO also produces annual reports on key issues such as Duplication and Cost savings and High-Risk Update. The GAO prepares some 900 reports annually. The GAO publishes reports and information relating to, inter alia : Each year

165-457: A Sikorsky-Boeing team. The JMR program is not intended to develop a prototype for the next family of vehicles, but to develop technologies and interfaces. The TIAs give the four teams nine months to complete preliminary design of their rotorcraft, which the Army will then review and authorize the construction of two competing demonstrators to fly in 2017. While there is a potential for an early downselect,

220-415: A commission to recommend individuals to the president. The commission consists of the following: The commission must recommend at least three individuals to the president, and the president may request that the commission recommend additional individuals. The president then selects an individual from those recommended to nominate as the new comptroller general. The president's nomination must be confirmed by

275-536: A comptroller general. Labor-management relations became fractious during the nine-year tenure of the seventh comptroller general, David M. Walker . On September 19, 2007, GAO analysts voted by a margin of two to one (897–445), in a 75% turnout, to establish the first union in the GAO's 86-year history. The analysts voted to affiliate with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE),

330-599: A crew of four and be capable of transporting up to 14 troops. Dual cargo hooks will give it a lift capacity to carry a 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) M777A2 Howitzer while flying at a speed of 150 knots (170 mph; 280 km/h). The fuselage is visually similar to that of the UH-60 Black Hawk medium lift helicopter. When landed, the wing is more than 7 ft (2.1 m) from the ground, allowing soldiers to egress easily out of two 6-foot (1.8 m) wide side doors and door gunners to have wide fields of fire. Although

385-943: A member union of the AFL–CIO . There are more than 1,800 analysts in the GAO analysts bargaining unit; the local voted to name itself IFPTE Local 1921, in honor of the date of the GAO's establishment. On February 14, 2008, the GAO analysts' union approved its first-ever negotiated pay contract with management; of just over 1,200 votes, 98% were in favor of the contract. The GAO also establishes standards for audits of government organizations, programs, activities, and functions, and of government assistance received by contractors, nonprofit organizations, and other nongovernmental organizations. These standards, often referred to as Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), are to be followed by auditors and audit organizations when required by law, regulation, agreement, contract, or policy. These standards pertain to auditors' professional qualifications,

440-524: A nominee from a list of at least three individuals recommended by an eight-member bipartisan, bicameral commission of congressional leaders. During such a term, the comptroller general has standing to pursue litigation to compel access to federal agency information. The comptroller general may not be removed by the president, but only by Congress through impeachment or joint resolution for specific reasons. Since 1921, there have been only eight comptrollers general, and no formal attempt has ever been made to remove

495-513: A scaled V-22 wing. Bell expects the V-280 to cost around the same as an AH-64E or MH-60M . While the Osprey has a higher disk loading and lower hover efficiency than a helicopter, the V-280 will have a lower disk loading and longer wing for greater hover and cruise efficiency. In October 2021, Bell and Rolls-Royce jointly announced that the V-280 Valor powerplant would switch from the T64 turboshaft used on

550-529: Is continuing. FLRAA passed Milestone B in the acquisition process in August 2024. Government Accountability Office The United States Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) is an independent, nonpartisan government agency within the legislative branch that provides auditing , evaluative , and investigative services for the United States Congress . It is the supreme audit institution of

605-598: Is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and maintains an additional 11 field offices around the country. Each field office contains several mission teams, but not every mission team is represented at each field office. The GAO is composed of 15 mission teams that work on reports in a given subject area. Missions teams are headed by a Managing Director which fall under the Senior Executive Service . The current slate of mission teams is: In addition to its mission teams,

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660-530: Is intended to be more agile and faster than the existing UH-60. FLRAA is part of the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program; in 2016, Major General William Gayler declared the first FVL aircraft would fill the medium-lift role. The proposed FLRAA program schedule overlaps with the FARA procurement, which is also part of FVL. FARA would provide a light-lift helicopter for the armed reconnaissance/scout role that

715-557: Is limited to official use in order to protect national security. The variety of their reports' topics range from Federal Budget and Fiscal Issues to Financial Management, Education, Retirement Issues, Defense, Homeland Security, Administration of Justice, Health Care, Information Management and Technology, Natural Resources, Environment, International Affairs, Trade, Financial Markets, Housing, Government Management and Human Capital, and Science and Technology Assessments and Analytics. The GAO often produces highlights of its reports that serve as

770-667: Is the technology demonstration precursor to Future Vertical Lift (FVL). The Army classified the offering as a Category I proposal, meaning it is a well-conceived, scientifically or technically sound proposal pertinent to program goals and objectives with applicability to Army mission needs, offered by a responsible contractor with the competent scientific and technical staff supporting resources required to achieve results. JMR-TD contracts were expected to be awarded in September 2013, with flights scheduled for 2017. In September 2013, Bell announced it would partner with Lockheed Martin to develop

825-597: The European Parliamentary Technology Assessment (EPTA) as an associate member. In 2019, the GAO established a new mission team, the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team, which has primary responsibility for technology assessments. The GAO has published a TA Design Handbook to help technology assessment teams analyze the impact of technology and make complex issues more easily understood and useful to policymakers. The GAO defines TA as

880-675: The General Electric T64 . The specific engine for the model performance specification (MPS) was unknown at the time, but has funding from the Army's future affordable turbine engine (FATE) program. The V-tail structure and ruddervators, made by GKN, will provide high levels of maneuverability and control to the airframe. It will be made of a combination of metals and composites. Features in the interior include seats that wirelessly charge troops’ radios, night-vision goggles, and other electronic gear and windows that display three-dimensional mission maps. Special emphasis has been placed on reducing

935-606: The federal government of the United States . It identifies its core "mission values" as: accountability, integrity, and reliability. It is also known as the "congressional watchdog". The agency is headed by the Comptroller General of the United States . The comptroller general is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. When a vacancy occurs in the office of the comptroller general, Congress establishes

990-758: The 609 for commercial use, and intended to offer the V-280 for military use only. Bell also stated that conventional helicopters were not part of Bell's military future. The Bell V-280 was chosen over the Sikorsky Defiant X on 5 December 2022. Sikorsky filed a protest after losing the contract, but the Government Accountability Office rejected it on the grounds that Bell's submission was more advantageous in more areas while Sikorsky's information had too many deficiencies and did not provide enough detail on how it would meet requirements. In June 2015, Bell's subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems began assembly of

1045-719: The Army has been gathering data from flying prototype designs that could fill the FLRAA role. The Army posted a request for information (RFI) in April 2019, which was intended to identify interested manufacturers. According to the RFI, the Army plans to bring the FLRAA into service in 2030, in anticipation of retiring the UH-60 after a 50-year life. On December 5, 2022, the Army selected the Bell Textron V-280 Valor powered by Rolls-Royce engines for

1100-413: The Army, which leads the program, is not committed to the idea and wants distinct platforms for each mission. Bell and Lockheed claim an AV-280 variant can launch rockets, missiles, and even small unmanned aerial vehicles forward or aft with no rotor interference, even in forward flight and cruise modes with the rotors forward. The V-280 prototype (air vehicle concept demonstrator, or AVCD) was powered by

1155-645: The FLRAA contract award. The award was protested by the Sikorsky-Boeing team, however the Government Accountability Office denied the protest. According to the RFI, the Army has set a per-unit cost goal of $ 43 million (in 2018 dollars). The Army envisions combat scenarios where a future scout helicopter being developed under the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program and unmanned drones would control an area or corridor, which would then allow FLRAA to insert troops. FLRAA

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1210-561: The GAO also has 16 operations and staff components that support their work and carryout other agency functions, including its bid decisions. The GAO was established as the General Accounting Office by the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921. The act required the head of the GAO to: investigate, at the seat of government or elsewhere, all matters relating to the receipt, disbursement, and application of public funds, and shall make to

1265-580: The GAO issues an audit report on the financial statements of the United States Government. The 2010 Financial Report of the United States Government was released on December 21, 2010. The accompanying press release states that the GAO 'cannot render an opinion on the 2010 consolidated financial statements of the federal government , because of widespread material internal control weaknesses, significant uncertainties, and other limitations'. As part of its initiative to advocate sustainability ,

1320-480: The GAO on its 2007 list of great places to work in Washington, a list that encompasses the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The GAO is headed by the comptroller general of the U.S. , a professional and non-partisan position in the U.S. government. The comptroller general is appointed by the president , by and with the advice and consent of the Senate , for a fifteen-year, non-renewable term. The president selects

1375-533: The GAO publishes a Federal Fiscal Outlook Report, as well as data relating to the deficit . The U.S. deficit is presented on a cash rather than accruals basis, although the GAO notes that the accrual deficit "provides more information on the longer-term implications of the government's annual operations". In FY 2010, the US federal government had a net operating cost of $ 2,080 billion, although since this includes accounting provisions (estimates of future liabilities),

1430-479: The GAO's work by publishing stories on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of its reports. Members of Congress also frequently cite the GAO's work in statements to the press, congressional hearings, and floor debates on proposed legislation. In 2007 the Partnership for Public Service ranked the GAO second on its list of the best places to work in the federal government and Washingtonian magazine included

1485-651: The IRS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Homeland Security, among others. Unsuccessful bidders for government contracts may submit protests if they have reason to challenge an agency's decision, and the GAO may then release a report on the decision, redacted if necessary. Various GAO decisions have confirmed that: In reviewing protests of an agency’s evaluation, [GAO] does not reevaluate proposals, rather, we review

1540-577: The President ... and to Congress ... reports [and] recommendations looking to greater economy or efficiency in public expenditures. According to the GAO's current mission statement, the agency exists to support the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. The name

1595-413: The Senate's Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs before being voted on by the full Senate. The current comptroller general is Gene Dodaro , who has served in the position since March 13, 2008. The work of the GAO is done at the request of congressional committees or subcommittees or is mandated by public laws or committee reports. It also undertakes research under the authority of

1650-446: The US Army. After one year of flight tests, it reached its 280 knots (320 mph; 520 km/h) target by January 2019, as it will continue to expand its flight envelope : low-speed agility, bank angles , and autonomous operations. In December 2020, the V-280 reached 305 knots (350 mph; 560 km/h) as it was flown for over 200 hours. The V-280 is designed for a cruising speed of 280 knots (320 mph; 520 km/h), hence

1705-520: The V-280 Valor to continue with the JMR demonstration program. The Boeing - Sikorsky team offering the SB-1 Defiant was also chosen. Announcement of the selections was officially made on 3 October 2014, and the teams began building technology demonstration aircraft for test flights in 2017. Bell unveiled a full-scale mock-up of the V-280 Valor on the floor at AUSA 2014 to showcase the configuration and design of

Bell V-280 Valor - Misplaced Pages Continue

1760-524: The V-280. Lockheed will provide integrated avionics, sensors, and weapons to the aircraft. Additional partners were announced in the following months, including Moog Inc. for the flight control systems, GE Aviation for the engines, GKN for the tail structure, Spirit AeroSystems for the composite fuselage, Eaton Corporation as the distributor of hydraulics and power generation systems, and Astronics Advanced Electric Systems to design and manufacture power distribution systems. Israel Aerospace Industries ,

1815-809: The agency in "taking corrective action in the face of a clearly meritorious protest". The GAO confirmed in 2014 that its jurisdiction includes investigation of protests raising allegations of agency violation of the Procurement Integrity Act . After the closing of the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) in 1995, Congress directed the GAO to conduct a technology assessment (TA) pilot program. Between 2002 and 2005, three reports were completed–-use of biometrics for border security, cyber security for critical infrastructure protection , and technologies for protecting structures in wildland fires. The GAO reports and technology assessments, which are made available to

1870-428: The cash deficit is $ 1,294 billion. The most recent GAO strategic plan, for 2018–2023, sets out four goals, namely: The Forensic Audits and Investigative Service (FAIS) team provides Congress with high-quality forensic audits and investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse; other special investigations; and security and vulnerability assessments. Its work cuts across a diverse array of government programs administered by

1925-406: The composite fuselage for the first prototype V-280 Valor, which was delivered in September 2015. In total, the design and manufacturing of the fuselage was completed in only 22 months. Although the V-280 is initially planned for the JMR demonstration program, Bell does not anticipate much difference between it and a final FVL entry. By January 2016, the V-280 demonstrator was 23 percent complete, with

1980-427: The comptroller general. It supports congressional oversight by: As a result of its work, GAO produces: The GAO also produces special publications on specific issues of general interest to many Americans, such as its report on the fiscal future of the United States, GAO's role in the federal bid protest process, and critical issues for congressional consideration related to improving the nation's image abroad. The GAO

2035-527: The evaluation to determine if it was reasonable, consistent with the solicitation’s evaluation scheme and procurement statutes and regulations, and adequately documented. There is a facility within the Bid Protest Regulations for the GAO to recommend reimbursement of a bidder's protest costs if the procuring agency takes corrective action in response to a protest. The circumstances justifying bid protest cost reimbursement must involve "undue delay" by

2090-446: The first international partner recruited for the V-280, will supply the nacelle structures. Textron sister company TRU Simulation & Training will build a high-fidelity marketing simulator and desktop maintenance trainer. In October 2013, the U.S. Army awarded a technology investment agreement (TIA) to Bell for the V-280 Valor tiltrotor under the Joint Multi-Role program. Awards were also given to AVX Aircraft, Karem Aircraft , and

2145-546: The four teams are focused on the 2017 flight demonstrations. Each of the four teams received $ 6.5 million from the Army for phase I of the program, although Bell is investing an undisclosed amount of its own money. On 21 October 2013, Bell unveiled the first full-scale mock-up of the V-280 Valor at Association of the United States Army 2013. On 11 August 2014, the Army informed the Bell-Lockheed team that they had chosen

2200-552: The fuselage and wings mated together in early May 2016. The demonstrator aircraft began ground vibration testing in Amarillo in February 2017, with the aircraft reaching 95 percent completion. The demonstrator was undergoing ground testing in October 2017. Bell released a video on 18 December showing the first flight with the area around the pivots blurred. In April 2018, it ran for 75 hours on

2255-657: The ground and flew for 19 hours, up to 80 knots (90 mph; 150 km/h), before transiting to airplane flight by the end of the month. By the end of the month, it attained 140 knots (160 mph; 260 km/h) with proprotors 60-deg. forward, and is planned to reach its airplane cruise configuration with horizontal pylons in summer. It reached 190 knots (220 mph; 350 km/h) in cruise mode with horizontal propellers in May 2018. After 155 hours of rotor turn time and 70 flight hours, by October 2018 it had reached 250 knots (290 mph; 460 km/h) at 80% proprotor cruise speed. It

Bell V-280 Valor - Misplaced Pages Continue

2310-484: The high-speed platform. It is focused on the infantry squad and is to handle much like a helicopter in terms of low-speed agility to have unprecedented pitch, roll, and yaw response for those operations. Roughly the size of the current medium-lift helicopter, the V-280 is designed to travel twice as fast and twice as far. Bell is pitching these capabilities for movement over vast areas like the Pacific. The program director said

2365-467: The initial design is a utility configuration, Bell is also working on an attack configuration. Whether different variants of the V-280 would fill utility and attack roles or a single airframe could interchange payloads for either mission, Bell is confident the Valor tiltrotor platform can fulfill both duties. The U.S. Marine Corps is interested in having one aircraft to replace utility and attack helicopters, but

2420-417: The name V-280. It has a top speed of 300 knots (345 mph; 556 km/h), a range of 2,100 nautical miles (2,400 mi; 3,900 km), and an effective combat range of 500 to 800 nmi (580 to 920 mi; 930 to 1,480 km). Expected maximum takeoff weight is around 30,000 pounds (14,000 kg). One major difference from the earlier V-22 Osprey tiltrotor is that the engines remain in place while

2475-590: The need for forward arming and refueling points could be eliminated and that one FOB (forward operating base) in the middle of a country, such as Afghanistan, could cover the entire country. Although Bell sold its share in the AW609 program in 2011, Bell continues to work on the AW609 and considers commercial potential for the V-280, as a military mass production of 2,000–4,000 aircraft could reduce unit cost to commercially acceptable levels. In 2016, Bell stated that it preferred

2530-715: The prototype to a derivative of the Rolls-Royce T406 /AE 1107C used on the Osprey, which would be named the AE 1107F. At the same time as increasing power from 5,000 to 7,000 horsepower, the AE 1107 is a known element in tiltrotor aircraft with its two decades of prior use, which lowers sustainment costs and decreases risks of the project. Data from bellflight.com, General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft The Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft ( FLRAA ) program

2585-401: The public, have become essential vehicles for understanding science and technology (S&T) implications of policies considered by the Congress. Since 2008, Congress has established a permanent TA function within the GAO. This new operational role augments GAO's performance audits related to S&T issues, including effectiveness and efficiency of U.S. federal programs. In 2010, the GAO joined

2640-544: The quality of audit effort, and the characteristics of professional and meaningful audit reports. In 1992, the GAO hosted the XIV INCOSAI , the fourteenth triennial convention of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). The GAO is a United States government electronic data provider, as all of its reports are available on its website, except for certain reports whose distribution

2695-440: The rotors and drive shafts tilt. A driveshaft runs through the straight wing, allowing both prop rotors to be driven by a single engine in the event of engine loss. The V-280 will have retractable landing gear, a triple-redundant fly by wire control system, and a V-tail configuration. The wings are made of a single section of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite, reducing weight and production costs. The V-280 will have

2750-479: The weight of the V-280 in comparison to the V-22, which would reduce cost. To do this, composites are used extensively in the wing, fuselage, and tail. Wing skins and ribs are made of a honeycomb-stiffened "sandwich" construction with large-cell carbon cores for fewer, larger, and lighter parts. Skins and ribs are paste-bonded together to eliminate fasteners. With these measures, costs are reduced by over 30 percent compared to

2805-659: Was changed in 2004 to the Government Accountability Office by the GAO Human Capital Reform Act to better reflect the mission of the office. The GAO's auditors conduct not only financial audits, but also engage in a wide assortment of performance audits. Over the years, the GAO has been referred to as "The Congressional Watchdog" and "The Taxpayers' Best Friend" for its frequent audits and investigative reports that have uncovered waste and inefficiency in government. News media often draw attention to

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2860-447: Was flown to a 45° bank angle at up to 200 knots (230 mph; 370 km/h), achieved a 4,500 ft/min (23 m/s) climb rate at 160 kn (180 mph; 300 km/h), exceeded 200 knots (230 mph; 370 km/h) with less than 50% torque, and recorded a peak load factor of 1.9 g. Its longest flight covered 370 mi (320 nmi; 600 km) as it performed a ferry flight to Arlington, Texas to continue testing closer to

2915-588: Was initiated by the United States Army in 2019 to develop a successor to the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter as part of the Future Vertical Lift program. The UH-60, developed in the early 1970s, has been in service since June 1979. Like the UH-60, FLRAA variants would also serve United States Special Operations Command and the United States Marine Corps . Under the existing Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) program,

2970-586: Was previously filled by the Bell OH-58 Kiowa until its retirement in 2014. On April 4, 2019, the Army released a formal request for information and outlined its proposed schedule for FLRAA: The FVL program is headed by Brigadier General Wally Rugen ; according to Rugen, based on the data gathered during JMR-TD with the Bell V-280 Valor and the Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant , the Army

3025-403: Was ready to move on to open competition for the FLRAA contract. In March 2020, the Army awarded competitive demonstration contracts to Bell and Sikorsky/Boeing, who would proceed to complete conceptual designs and explain how the FLRAA requirements were met by the Valor and Defiant candidate designs, respectively. On 8 February 2024 the US Army ended development of FARA, while FLRAA development

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