Future competition for A400
US Army wants a four engine tiltrotor about the size of an A400, big enough to carry a Stryker vehicle inside -- and maybe hover too, please.
USAF wants an etreme STOL fixed wing transport of about the same size, takeoff and landing roll to be no more than 500 ft. and a steep climbout barrier clearance spec.
Service Squabble Holds Up JFTL Concept
Nov 6, 2008
By Bettina H. Chavanne
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Ongoing arguments between the U.S. Air Force and Army over the value of mounted vertical maneuver are putting the brakes on the Joint Future Theater Lift Concept (JFTL), delaying the initial capabilities document (ICD) for a year and endangering budget planning.
“Efforts are still ongoing to create a single ICD for JROC [Joint Requirements Oversight Council] approval,” according to Bruce Tenney, associate director for technology at the Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD). “The latest version is not likely to achieve resolution,” he said, calling progress on the JFTL ICD “abysmal.” Tenney said the argument is due to “fundamental differences between land components and the Air Force on the importance of austere, unimproved access” to the battlefield.
The focus is now on approving the ICD in spring 2009, with an analysis of alternatives following in time to inform the service’s Program Objective Memorandum 2012-2017 budget decision. “All future timelines are dependent on completion of approval of the JTFL ICD,” Tenney said.
Tenney, a proponent of vertical lift, said the airlift community does not see itself operating in the manner to which the Army is accustomed. “Why do we care about vertical? It’s all about access,” he said. “It’s the ability to put yourself where you want to be when you want to be there.”
Tenney spoke to an industry and military group last week at the Army Aviation Association of America’s (Quad A) 13th Helicopter Military Operations Technology Specialists’ Meeting, or Helmot.
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http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=aerospacedaily&id=news/JFTL110608.xml&headline=Service%20Squabble%20Holds%20Up%20JF TL%20Concept
Image: Bell Boeing