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Army Advances Bell, M1 and Lockheed to Phase III of Flight School Next

Phase III calls for full commercial proposals under a contractor-owned training model.

Overview

  • Bell, M1 Support Services and Lockheed Martin were selected to submit full Commercial Solution Proposals, as outlined in the Army’s December CSO.
  • Lockheed Martin and M1 are proposing Robinson’s R66 NxG as the primary trainer, while Bell is offering its 505 helicopter.
  • Lockheed is positioning as a prime systems integrator to run the training enterprise, with Robinson providing aircraft, spares and support services.
  • The Army is targeting a contract award by the end of September 2026 with a 26-year performance period and annual training for roughly 900 to 1,500 pilots.
  • The program uses a COCO approach with primes managing finance, supply chain and logistics, and subs delivering helicopters, repairs and curriculum; M1’s team includes GDIT, Quantum Helicopters and the UND Aerospace Foundation.