WASHINGTON — Fort Worth-based Bell notched a significant victory Thursday when a watchdog agency rejected a competitor’s protest of its winning bid to provide the U.S. Army’s next long-range assault aircraft.
The Army announced in December it had chosen Bell’s tilt-rotor V-280 Valor for its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA, program to replace the iconic UH-60 Black Hawk.
The V-280 beat out the proposed compound rotor Defiant X offered by a collaboration of Boeing and Sikorsky, which is owned by Lockheed Martin. The losing team filed a formal protest of the Army’s decision, triggering a 100-day review by the Government Accountability Office.
The GAO announced Thursday it had rejected the protest, one day ahead of the deadline.
“GAO concluded that the Army reasonably evaluated Sikorsky’s proposal as technically unacceptable because Sikorsky failed to provide the level of architectural detail required by the (Army),” according to a statement by the office. “GAO also denied Sikorsky’s various allegations about the acceptability of Bell’s proposal.”
The stakes are high as the Army looks to replace thousands of helicopters with aircraft capable of flying much farther and faster than the previous generation.
The short-term value of the contract could be up to $1.3 billion, but the Army has indicated its total could be tens of billions over the life of the program.
It’s unclear exactly how many jobs will flow from the contract, or where they will be located, but Bell has been pushing forward on new facilities in the D-FW area since winning the award.
That includes registering plans with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to construct a $20 million, 37,775-square-foot building in Grand Prairie.
Bell has touted the benefits of its tilt-rotor design, which combines a helicopter’s vertical takeoff and hovering ability with the speed and range of a plane.
“This decision validates the U.S. Army’s historic choice to modernize its air assault fleet with the flight-proven speed, range, and versatility delivered by Bell’s V-280 Valor,” the company said Thursday. “The Army followed a deliberate process throughout the competition, and we are excited to get to work as the Army’s partner in modernizing its aviation fleet.”
The GAO decision might not prove the final word. The Sikorsky team did not sound ready to surrender in a brief statement Thursday.
“We remain confident the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky and Boeing team submitted the most capable, affordable and lowest-risk Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft solution,” it said. “We will review the GAO’s decision and determine our next steps.”
The losing team could look to Capitol Hill allies for help.
Republican Rep. Kay Granger represents Fort Worth, which is home to both the Bell headquarters and significant Lockheed Martin operations such as the F-35 production line.
Granger wields tremendous influence as chair of the House Appropriations Committee, but has thus far stayed away from the Army aviation competition, at least publicly.
In contrast, members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation have been outspoken in their concerns about Bell’s win.
They have questioned whether the V-280 design will prove much more expensive, in part because its footprint could require new facilities to house them.
The top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, represents Connecticut’s 3rd district, which is home to Sikorsky.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in an interview last month they could accept the outcome if the Army has legitimate reasons to back it up, but they need more information.
The Army has repeatedly refused requests to brief them on the evaluation process while the protest was pending, he said. He questioned whether the service is trying to hide that the cost of Bell’s bid is much higher.
He described as a “debacle” problems over the years with the V-22 Osprey, Bell’s signature tilt-rotor craft, which have included serious accidents. Bell has defended the V-22′s overall safety record.
An undisclosed number of Ospreys were grounded earlier this year over a clutch issue.
“What about our experience with tilt rotor would tell you we need more of that?” Murphy said. “Plus, the upfront cost of the tilt rotor is allegedly much higher than Sikorsky. So as an appropriator, I’m not super interested in funding this… if it’s a boondoggle.”
