US Army downselects FARA prototype providers
The US Army has selected Bell Helicopter Textron and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. to design and test the prototype of the Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and progress to phase 2 of development.
FARA will gradually replace the Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.
Currently, the US Army does not have an aircraft fleet which can conduct armed reconnaissance, light attack and security with lethal and non-lethal capabilities.
Gen. John Murray, Army Futures Command’s commanding general said: ‘Our focus is on delivering capability for our Soldiers at the speed of relevance… We’re doing that here – providing opportunites for our industry partners to design, test and build capability alongside our soldiers to ensure that we win on a future battlefield.’
A government flight test of a final prototype is expected in Q3 of 2023. Boeing had also proposed designs for the FARA which were unveiled on 3 March.
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