Been proposed. USMC interested, Army not so much. First pc is weapons kit on Army version, 2nd two are more potent and dedicated USMC version.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....61aa082253.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d128127f04.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ce159862fa.jpg

Year End Summary
 

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Bell tests autonomy software in V-280 Valor, paving way for first autonomous flight : http://www.verticalmag.com/news/bell...nomous-flight/
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Appears already to be a very impressive machine.
Wonder if they'll licence or sell internationally - I assume so eventually.

Bell Video Marking V-280 Completion of 200 Flight Hours
 

Bell released a video this week marking their V-280 Valor completing 200 flight hours, and additional accomplishments over the past three years of flight testing.

There is definitely a tone to the video that begs the question “What has the competition accomplished?”

Bell wins
 

Army awards Bell the FLRAAA/ FVl

https://www.army.mil/article/262523?...bOMHxurZ_66VJw

Congrats to Team Valor! Ukraine has shown the need for the speed and long range the Defiant never demonstrated.

and the official Bell press release

https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/22...OhFxz7NKbvHjUg

Is this noise (the unerlined bit), or do you have a bit more meat for that bone? Can you expand on this statement?
The self-deploy/range requirement is not quite a decade old, IIRC, and well pre-dated the Ukraine war.

But yes: 'Grats to Team Valor! :ok: :D
Hope to see first prototype in the air soon. What do you expect?
FY 24? FY 25? Any word on that?
Is the Army going to make a fresh requirement for production/prototype GW, Speed, Payload, Range, footprint etc for Bell to shoot at?
EDIT:
From the press release, thanks Chopper

[QUOTE=Lonewolf_50;11343334]Is this noise (the unerlined bit), or do you have a bit more meat for that bone? Can you expand on this statement?]

My declarative is a casually obvious to the intuitive observer fact that long range artillery (guns and missiles) make basing within 200 miles of the FEBA problematic relative to survival. Couple this with diversionary flight paths and the need to carry return fuel the aircraft has to have at least a 500 mile range to conduct future missions. Add this to the fact that Defiant required three refueling stops to go 700 miles in its long range demo, and you can see that the Defiant can not conduct the missions required on the modern battlefield.