AVX Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA)

Light Attack / Observation / Scout Helicopter Proposal [ 2028 ]

The AVX FARA concept is of compound arrangement complete with coaxial main rotor systems as well as ducted-fan propulsors.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/05/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from official AVX Aircraft Company press release.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The United States military seeks to secure a complete family of helicopters to help replace an aging stock of attack, scout, and transport types. This includes the classic Boeing AH-64 "Apache" attack helicopter, Bell OH-58 "Kiowa" scout, and the venerable Sikorsky UH-60 "Black Hawk" transport lines. The "Future Vertical Lift" - or FVL - has been arranged to find potential successors for this massive endeavor and, from this, the program has branched to include the "Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft" (FARA) of which two current high-profile contenders exist through the Bell V-280 "Valor" tilt-rotor helicopter and the Sikorsky S-97 "Raider" compound helicopter proposals.

Another entry into the field is a new proposal from AVX Aircraft Company (of Texas) partnered with defense industry stalwart L-3 Technologies. This vehicle showcases co-axial main rotor blades (as popularized by several prominent Russian Kamov helicopter designs) and ducted-fans to enhance maneuverability (through a "compound" propulsion scheme arrangement). The conceptual artwork for this helicopter showcases a two-seat cockpit with side-by-side seating, a chin-mounted, turreted triple-barreled automatic cannon as a standard armament installation, low-mounted wingstubs to handle air-launched munitions (rockets and missiles), and high-mounted mainplanes for the required control in forward flight. The tail unit is a twin-finned unit. The coaxial main rotors sit above the fuselage and it is assumed that a twin-turboshaft powerplant arrangement would be featured (both for performance as well as survivability) as well as a wheeled, retractable undercarriage.

The AVX design was unveiled on April 15th, 2019 and is in line, in terms of capabilities, with the expiring OH-58 Kiowa series of light scout / light attack helicopters of the United States Army. This helicopter, of which some 2,200 have been produced to date with exposure seen all over the world, fulfills the observation / reconnaissance roles for the service due to its lightweight stature and inherent agility. It can be modestly armed, typically through a cannon pod, minigun, or rocket pod mounted to outboard stubs, each containing just one hardpoint. The Kiowa series has been consistently upgraded throughout its service life - which began in 1969 to fulfill a standing Army requirement for a versatile light-class rotary-wing platform.

The AVX proposal would face stiff competition from the proposed Sikorsky S-97 Raider - which has already been produced and flown in prototype form.

The United States Army will select two bids from the field of five candidates for further development. Initial Operation Capability (IOC) is tentatively scheduled for 2028 and the service could be eyeing as many as 500 units before the end.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

AVX Aircraft Company / L-3 Technologies - USA
Manufacturer(s)

United States (possible)
Operators

2028
Service Year

United States
National Origin

In-Development
Project Status

2
Crew

0
Units

CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.

INTELLIGENCE-SURVEILLANCE-RECONNAISSANCE
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

X-PLANE
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.

2 x General Electric Aviation XT901 turboshaft engines developing 3,000 horsepower each driving 2 x Three-bladed main rotor units in coaxial arrangement; 2 x Ducted-fan propulsion units.
Propulsion

205 mph
(330 kph | 178 knots)
Max Speed

14,764 ft
(4,500 m | 3 miles)
Ceiling

1,553 miles
(2,500 km | 1,350 nm)
Range

1,000 ft/min
(305 m/min)
Rate-of-Climb

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

Variable depending on mission scope. Would include any of the following under the wing mainplanes:

1 x 20mm Autocannon in chin mounted turret (based on artist's concept work).

ALSO:
7.62mm OR 12.7mm machine guns.
7.62mm OR 12.7mm machine gun pods.
7.62mm miniguns.
7- or 19-shot rocket pods.
20mm cannon pods.
Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs).
Stinger short-ranged Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs).

Hardpoints

Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) - Concept Program Name.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for Special Forces

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Images

1 / 1

Image of the AVX Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA)

Image from official AVX Aircraft Company press release.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)