Integris and QinetiQ partner to enhance FLRAA survivability
Above: Bell Textron, Inc. has selected Integris Composites to supply armour for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). The Bell V-280 Valor pictured here was chosen by the US Army as the winner of FLRRA programme. The new assault aircraft will fly twice as far and twice as fast as the current fleet.
Courtesy Integris
The FLRAA is the next-generation helicopter programme that addresses the US Army's requirements for increased speed, range and survivability.
David Cordova, chief commercial officer of Integris, Inc. said: “This collaboration builds upon Integris' initial selection by Bell Textron to provide armour systems for the FLRAA, further solidifying the positioning of Integris Composites in the cutting-edge military aviation sector."
Integris has awarded QinetiQ the contract to provide systems engineering and integration expertise for the materials technology that will be used on both the floor and wing of the advanced rotorcraft. Cordova said this is the latest collaboration in the history between QinetiQ and Integris.
The FLRAA programme has entered the engineering and manufacturing development phase, with Bell reporting it has commenced detailed design work on six prototypes.
Cordova said: "We are extremely proud to be part of the team behind this innovative rotorcraft that is ushering in what will become the US Army's new long-range assault aircraft.”
The QinetiQ-Integris collaboration leverages Integris' expertise in lightweight, fit-for-purpose composite military armour, which has been successfully applied to various aerospace projects.
Integris, in alignment with other industry partners, supports key programme objectives, including Bell’s Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), increased survivability and alignment with the broader Future Vertical Lift (FVL) initiative, as the FLRAA progresses toward prototype testing in 2026 and fielding by 2030.
Cordova said: “Integris is today entering its fourth decade of business as a reliable resource for major military commands as well as a robust partner of choice for the world’s top defence contractors. We are a credentialed tier one supplier to aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and prime defence contractors throughout the world.
"The company is supplying armour kits for the new Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf that will replace the UH-60 Black Hawk for the US Air Force. “We are part of a storied lineage that traces its roots back to the iconic Vietnam-era 'Huey' (UH-1 Iroquois) and present-day Black Hawk, which since 1979 has been the Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS).”
Integris is supplying armour kits for the new Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf that will replace the UH-60 Black Hawk for the US Air Force and has previously provided ballistic protection for various international helicopter platforms, including:
- Airbus H-125 – special lightweight, high-performance kits for US Customs and Border Patrol
- Airbus Military – H135, NH90, H145, H225M (Super Puma), H175, and potentially the H160
- Leonardo Helicopters – AW159, AW101, and AW169
Integris is a global engineering company and manufacturer of composite armour for land vehicles, aircraft, naval craft, protection housings for optronics and other sensitive technology and personal protection gear. The company was known as TenCate Armor until the company was renamed in 2023.
