The leaders of the US and UK military have signed the Collaborative Program Feasibility Assessment Project Agreement for the future vertical lift, with a commitment to work together to ensure interoperability between future US helicopter aviation forces.
The agreement was signed in London, UK, on February 14.
Signed by Maj. Gen. Walter “Wally” Rogen, director of the US Army’s Cross-Functional Command Team, and Major General James Powder, Director of Future Programs, the agreement will see the two nations exchange information about their future requirements. software.
They will also explore and analyze new concepts for the use of coalition air power in low-level airspace, the airspace in which Army aviation typically operates.
Through this joint review, the US and UK will be able to assess the overall benefits, risks, and feasibility of helicopter cooperation between the two allies.
This agreement complements the existing partnership between the UK and the US Army and Navy which aims to reduce the difference between the two countries’ open system architectures, an essential component of keeping pace with emerging technology and the ability to rapidly adapt and evolve capabilities.
According to the US Army, agreed program goals include identifying opportunities to reduce future helicopter program cost, schedule, and performance risks, as well as enabling and improving helicopter interoperability and integration between armed forces.
The agreement will also develop plans for cooperation in future phases of the US FVL program, as well as provide the two countries with information to use in their national decision-making processes.
The FVL agreement follows the July 2020 agreement when British Minister of the Armed Forces James Hebby and US Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the joint modernization of the British and US militaries.
“The military completed Project Convergence 21 — our largest joint trial in 15 years — last fall, and this year PC22 will include allied nations,” Rogen said. “Deals like this will ultimately improve our capabilities and strengthen our forces, focusing on combined lethal force, survivability and range, ensuring accessibility for both countries.”
Program objectives include:
- Identify opportunities to reduce future helicopter program cost, schedule, and performance risks.
- Enable and improve helicopter interoperability and integration between armed forces.
- Assess the feasibility, identify and assess the risks associated with seeking future cooperation in research, development, testing, evaluation, production, maintenance and follow-up of the future development of rotary-wing aircraft.
- Provide the two countries with information for use in their national decision-making processes.
- Promote future helicopter collaboration in RDT&E programs.
- Develop plans for cooperation in the future phases of the FVL program of the US Department of Defense.
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