{"id":52477,"date":"2020-06-11T18:11:49","date_gmt":"2020-06-11T18:11:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/06\/11\/senate-bill-adds-funding-to-army-helicopter-program-drones\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:51:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:51:42","slug":"senate-bill-adds-funding-to-army-helicopter-program-drones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2020\/06\/11\/senate-bill-adds-funding-to-army-helicopter-program-drones\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate bill adds funding for Army helicopter program and to buy more drones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The Senate Armed Services Committee\u2019s version of the National Defense Authorization Act recommends increasing funding for the future long-range assault aircraft<\/a> and to buy additional drones, according to a summary report released Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the whole, the senators seem to have focused more on programs from the Air Force and Navy<\/a>, largely leaving the Army untouched, per the summary. However, full language has yet to be released. The Army requested $178 billion<\/a> for fiscal 2021, down slightly from its fiscal 2020 request of $182 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FLRAA program, which seeks a new long-range assault aircraft by 2030<\/a>, is receiving $5 million more than was requested. It is the second year in a row Congress has increased funding for the program above what the Pentagon asked for, following a $76 million increase in FY20 to drive down technical risk and speed up delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FLRAA is one of two key programs<\/a> for modernizing Army aviation. The Bell V-280 Valor tilt rotor <\/a>and the Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant coaxial<\/a> are both contending for the FLRAA contract. The competition for the program of record will begin in 2022, with a plan to field the first unit equipped in 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\t