Monica Jackson
The U.S. Army has issued a draft solicitation for industry designs and development plans for the service’s future attack reconnaissance helicopter prototypes scheduled for launch in 2023, Defense News reported Saturday.
The Army stated in its solicitation that it is seeking an optionally manned rotorcraft with reduced cognitive workload, increased operational tempo and advanced teaming and autonomous capabilities.
The Army aims to award four to six initial contracts in 2019 to companies capable of developing conceptual designs for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft Competitive Prototype that would meet the service’s expectations.
Two of the competing firms will be selected in the third quarter of 2020 to proceed to the detailed design, build and test phase of the program, which will then lead to a design review in 2022 that will initiate the formal acquisition process.
Bell and Sikorsky have already expressed their interest in joining the FARA CP competition.
The effort is part of the Army’s plan to procure a range of Future Vertical Lift planes in the 2030s.
