British Company Rolls-Royce will develop turboshaft engines for Bell’s V-280 Valor and V-247 Vigilant tiltrotors. The V-280 Valor is powered by US company GE’s T64-GE-419 engine.

According to Bell, “Bell and Rolls-Royce are developing an end-to-end engine integrated solution for V-280 as an option for future procurements”. The company however admits that “”the government has not defined its engine sourcing strategy.”

Following Sikorsky- Boeing’s SB-1 Defiant maiden flight last week, an announcement is made on Bell side. Both side compete on US Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programme, to replace Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. The V-280 has been flying for over a year as a Capability 3 technology demonstrator, a medium-size utility aircraft intended to replace the In January, the tiltrotor hit its goal top speed for which it is named: 280kt (518km/h).

The Bell V-247 has not yet flown. It is an unmanned air vehicle concept for the US Marine Corp’s Marine Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) aircraft.