Bell Textron Announces Wichita Will Keep Manufacturing Site for the Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) applauded the announcement from Bell Textron that they will keep Wichita as the site for fuselage assembly on the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). Assembly will occur at the Beech Field Facility on Textron Aviation's East Campus near the site of Textron Aviation Defense. Bell Textron plans to begin operations at the facility in the next several months.

"Bell Textron's decision to continue production of the Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft in Kansas marks an historic day for the Air Capital of the World," said Sen. Moran. "This announcement is a testament to the Kansas workforce and the unique combination of academia and industry that Wichita has to offer. I look forward to our state supporting this generational aircraft that will impact our national security and workforce for years to come."

"The announcement of Bell Textron building the FLRAA fuselage in Wichita is great news for the Air Capital of the World and highlights Textron's commitment to our region," said Rep. Ron Estes . "This program is critical for the Army's aviation modernization, and I look forward to expanding Bell's presence in south central Kansas. We know that our skilled workforce is the best in the world, and this announcement is a testament to the quality of our aviation manufacturers and supply chain."

"As Bell prepares for the next stage of FLRAA's Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase, we are committed to investing in advanced manufacturing to ensure we deliver exceptional performance at an affordable cost to our customer," said Lisa Atherton, President and CEO, Bell. "Textron has a rich history with the state of Kansas as well as the city of Wichita, and we are proud to deepen that relationship as we establish this new facility."

In addition to manufacturing the FLRAA fuselage at the newly established Bell Wichita facility, supporting work will take place at several of Bell's advanced manufacturing facilities in Texas, including Bell's Advanced Composite Center in Fort Worth and final assembly of the aircraft will occur in Amarillo.<_o3a_p>

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