"With the submission of a proposal for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme, Lynn Tilton, company CEO, revealed a 200kt demonstrator known as Swift will compete for the tender.
'Military business has put us back on the map,’ Tilton said, while also referring to the success of the MD 530F Cayuse Warrior programme that now includes 60 deliveries to the Afghanistan Air Force and six to Kenya. In addition, Lebanon ordered six MD530G aircraft in October 2018.
The 6XX programme has however been ‘put to one side’ all but confirming an earlier plan to have the aircraft certified in 2019-2020 no longer stands.
MD Helicopters (MDHI) is the latest industry participant to confirm it has submitted a proposal for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme as Lynn Tilton, company CEO, revealed a 200kt demonstrator known as Swift will compete for the tender.
The demonstrator concept will be an iteration of the light utility 969 design complete with a composite airframe, a wing, NOTAR anti-torque system, new fans and thrusters with Tilton mentioning that MDHI has been working with Pratt and Whitney on the engine, while mission equipment has yet to be confirmed.
She also explained that a nine month production build timeframe has been set for the demonstrator to reach completion.
‘It’s important 969 work gets done as it’s a precursor to Swift,’ Tilton said, with all relevant certifications on the aircraft set to be finalised in 2019, after the programme was previously put on hold.
As 969 production ramps up, Tilton also revealed that the helicopter will be entirely built at MDHI’s Mesa, Arizona facility, a development made possible by ‘moving tooling back from Turkey’.
Research and development has supported efforts to arrive at the Swift blueprint, but on the subject of suppliers Tilton declined to confirm company names, but will do so at a future date.
There was no mock-up of the Swift design but other key business targets were detailed including MDHI planning on making 80 aircraft deliveries across its portfolio in 2019."
https://www.shephardmedia.com/new/
_________________________________________________________________________
RELATED CONTENT:
https://www.defensedaily.com
ATLANTA — MD Helicopters is jumping into the U.S. Army Future Attack Recon Aircraft (FARA) competition with a new, all-composite, winged version of its 969 twin-engine attack aircraft.
The new 969 will cruise at 160 knots and sprint at 180 knots, which…
