Vertical Flight

Lawmakers dropped a provision from the fiscal year 2018 defense policy bill that would have allowed the defense secretary to let the Air Force issue a sole-source procurement contract instead of continuing an open competition to replace the Bell UH-1N helicopter.

Army aviation is struggling to balance an array of responsibilities that include waging the current fight, training for the next and upgrading airframes for the future, according to the branch chief.

The Navy is seeking cost-effective solutions for an upgraded engine inlet system to increase particle filtration efficiency and improve engine time-on-wing, according to a request for information.

The Army is employing "an open approach" to establishing and refining requirements for the first aircraft in the Future Vertical Lift family of systems, according to the program's Training and Doctrine Command capability manager.

The Army's aviation branch is crafting new doctrine and revising its training emphasis to better operate in a complex environment against a near-peer adversary, according to the commander of the Aviation Center of Excellence.

Sikorsky is preparing to look at when and how to upgrade its HH-60W after it is fielded as the Air Force's Combat Rescue Helicopter, in a study of potential Block 1 capabilities that could last up to a year.

The Defense Department needs to learn from past failures and put mitigation strategies in place as it prepares to ramp up the development of the fledgling Afghan Air Force, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

The Army has to find the appropriate balance between commonality and additional capability in its aviation fleet, according to service officials.

Science and technology efforts are a critical part of the Army's efforts to keep pace with and stay ahead of evolving threats, service and industry officials said at a Sept. 7 conference hosted by the Association of the United States Army.