Bell forms Team Invictus for project

Bell Textron Inc., has reached agreements with nine aerospace industry firms to form Team Invictus, which will produce the Bell 360 Invictus prototype for the U.S. Army.

“Team Invictus is working together to show how cutting-edge technology will give soldiers the ability to confidently operate in the complex and contested battlespace of multi-domain operations,” Chris Gehler, vice president and program director for FARA at Bell, said. “Future Vertical Lift is critical for the Army’s ability to win in multi-domain operations with FARA defeating defensive layers and the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) exploiting opened areas to achieve operational objectives.”

Team Invictus includes:

• Astronics Corporation for a modular framework of airframe power generation, conversion, and distribution products;
• Collins Aerospace for integration of a new generation of avionics hardware and software featuring cyber-hardened and digital backbone solutions to configure and integrate mission systems;
• GE Aviation for the 3,000-SHP T901 engine and working on the aircraft Health Awareness System;
• ITT-Enidine Inc. for the passive Liquid Inertia Vibration Eliminator (LIVE) units for all modes of operation including high speed;
• L3Harris Technologies for the WESCAM MX-15D;
• Parker Lord for rotor dampers, the main rotor CF bearing, the tail rotor tension torsion strap, and the Active Vibration Control System;
• Mecaer Aviation Group, Inc for a fully retractable, taildragger landing gear system;
• MOOG Inc. for flight control computer electronics, software, flight control actuation, and Flight Control System; and
• TRU Simulation + Training for a high-fidelity flight simulator that gives pilots a true sense of the aircraft flight controls.

“Each team member brings a capability that is vital to the success of the Bell 360, and we are honored to have proven, capable and well-respected industry partners on Team Invictus,” Gehler said.