Sikorsky declines to sue Army over rejected contract bid

Sikorsky Aircraft has opted not to file a lawsuit to block the U.S. Army”™s multi-billion-dollar Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program after a lucrative contract was given to one of its rivals.

According to a BreakingDefense.com report, Sikorsky had the option to sue to Army after the U.S. Government Accountability Office rejected their protest of the Army”™s decision to choose Bell Textron”™s V-280 Valor tiltrotor to replace the aging fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

“We are disappointed with the Government Accountability Office decision and remain convinced that our Defiant X offering represented both the best value for the taxpayer and the transformational technology that our warfighters need to execute their complex missions,” a Sikorsky spokesperson said in a press statement. “We value our long-standing partnership with the U.S. Army, and serving their missions remains our top priority.”

The Stratford-based Sikorsky said it would devote its attention to the upcoming Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft competition. Bell is expected to be part of that competition, thus setting up a rematch between the companies.