Bell announces first flight for V-280 tiltrotor aircraft

Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Bell Helicopters new V-280 tiltrotor aircraft has flown for the first time, bringing the company closer to the creation of a new U.S. Army aircraft.

The V-280, or Valor, is being designed for agility, speed, range and payload capabilities and combines the engineering resources of Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin, GE, Moog, IAI, TRU Simulation & Training, Astronics, Eaton, GKN Aerospace, Lord, Meggitt and Spirit AeroSystems -- collectively referred to as Team Valor.

"This is an exciting time for Bell Helicopter, and I could not be more proud of the progress we have made with first flight of the Bell V-280," Mitch Snyder, president and chief executive officer for Bell Helicopter, said in a press release. "First flight demonstrates our commitment to supporting Department of Defense leadership's modernization priorities and acquisition reform initiatives."

"The Valor is designed to revolutionize vertical lift for the U.S. Army and represents a transformational aircraft for all the challenging missions our armed forces are asked to undertake."

"The V-280 intends to completely transform what is possible for the military when it comes to battle planning and forward operations."

V-280 development is part of the Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrator program, the science and technology precursor to the Department of Defense's Future Vertical Lift program. It is designed to offer maneuver commanders unmatched operational agility to self-deploy and perform a multitude of vertical lift missions currently unachievable in one aircraft.