🚁 V-280 has been selected for the US Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft.
Why is this aircraft, or aircraft with performance like it, important for the UK?
1/🧵 #flraa #v280 #nmh
There are at least four significant factors to consider here:
1️⃣ Reducing density;
2️⃣ Expansion of NATO;
3️⃣ Overseas Territories and SLOCs;
4️⃣ Force composition.
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1️⃣ As the density of our armed forces reduces (via headcount reduction or deliberate formation structure*) situational awareness of a wider area must improve as does the ability to reach those areas via range or mobility.
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*deliberate formation structure is a Thing, with mass being accomplished via multiple aggregated formations.
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2️⃣ With the expansion of NATO, the UK can do less with less, focus resource and kit on what is both necessary for supporting Allies and for its own needs. The UK no longer needs to focus on specific environment equipment, it can free resource for deployment/reinforcement.
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Fortunately this Venn diagram of needs overlaps well. We can rapidly reinforce and provide both tactical and strategic redeployment with equipment and forces the UK requires to protect our civilians and secure Allied interests worldwide.
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3️⃣ The United Kingdom has dependent self-governing Overseas Territories that it has committed to protect. Many of these sit on SLOC and trade routes critical to the UK, EU and Allies and that will see conflict in future decades, if not sooner.
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4️⃣ While a smaller number of heavier, tracked, Armoured formations will remain critical for British forward deployment or follow-on forces to fight the second battle...
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...and while the British Army will rely on a backbone of Mechanised forces delivering mass of infantry dismounts via long range, long endurance fleets...
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...the British Army, along with the Royal Navy, are investing hard in SOF/SFG for to keep a lid on conflicts before they escalate and for Very High Readiness response.
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This is where we circle back around to FLRAA.
The UK is replacing a core helicopter transport fleet. The RAF Puma fleet is 40-odd years old and is being replaced with the New Medium Helicopter programme.
🟠 That 40 year number is a track record warning. Keep it in mind.
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Three entries in various forms remain for NMH: AW149, H175M and Black Hawk.
All three solid replacements with UK industry gains to differing levels.
But conventional rotorcraft in a programme being moved along quickly. Maybe too quickly.
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Without external fuel tanks, the longest published combat radius belongs to the H175M entry.
Here are the radii centred over British Overseas Territories and Global Hubs to give you an idea of reach for NMH.
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And this is the V-280 Valor's published combat radius, described as conservative by the US Army.
This is a huge, huge uplift in effect and influence for a lighter, more distributed 16AAB, Ranger Regiment and 3Cdo.
They can operate wider, or aggregate more easily.
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The aircraft can also operate with fewer FARP's. Reducing footprint, reducing operating costs and releasing precious resources for use elsewhere.
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The problem with NMH is it is aimed at a full fleet, with a full lifetime.
Remember that 40-year figure for the Puma fleet?
What will the UK will do with NMH?
Keep it until it's knackered? I won't argue with you.
Our forces will be limited to a small radius of effect.
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NMH should be altered now to be an interim solution ahead of adopting an FLRAA performant aircraft.
This will not be easy, Puma is end of life, and long-term planning / negotiation is not our forte.
Two non-exhaustive suggestions follow:
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1️⃣ Procure an NMH fleet that can be quickly divested.
This means whatever is purchased now needs to be bought with what will be attractive to second-hand buyers in 15 years in mind.
A spec they will want, with kit we will be willing to support/export.
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2️⃣ Procure a second-hand / reconditioned fleet with enough life left on it to reach FLRAA.
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Neither of these options need to leave British industry in the cold.
Non-exhaustive examples include ensuring H175M/AW149 can be converted to offshore transport fleets, or that we buy Black Hawk with a mind to selling/supporting onward into Eastern Europe.
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As for cost of FLRAA. It *must* be more expensive, right?
Perhaps. Remember FARP reduction.
Unlike V-22, V-280 is a glorified turboprop.
It has a simpler straight wing, a customer about to buy numbers in four digits and a manufacturer aggressively transitioning factories.
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Either way, NMH and UK industry is not yet aligned for the step change in rotorcraft performance that the MOD sorely needs to make its 16AAB, Ranger Regiment and 3Cdo intentions work.
With it, they are a genuine SOF/SFG force to be reckoned with.
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defensenews.com/land/2022/02/1…
And that's why the FLRAA aircraft, or aircraft with performance like it, is important to the UK.
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/FIN
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