Bell is ringing in a $70 million facelift of a factory so it can produce the U.S. Army’s next generation vertical lift aircraft.
The Fort Worth-based defense contractor expects to begin construction in April on the remodel of a 450,000-square-foot building at 15100 N. Beach St., according to a new filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The project, which includes an addition to the building, is expected to be completed by early 2027.
Bell is investing $632 million into the north Fort Worth factory to make MV-75 aircraft, the Army’s designated name for its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA. The aircraft will be used for tactical assault and other missions.
MV-75’s nickname — “twice as far, twice as fast” — comes from the aircraft’s tactical maneuvering over long distances, Army officials said.
The project was announced by Gov. Greg Abbott, Mayor Mattie Parker and Bell president and CEO Lisa Atherton on Dec. 17, 2024. Abbott said then that the project will be transformational for Tarrant and Denton counties as well as the state and the military since the contract is worth $1.3 billion but could end up being worth about $70 billion.
About 520 full-time jobs with an average annual salary of $85,000 are expected to be created by the end of 2039.
The MV-75 will complement the Army’s fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, officials said.
Bell is working with partners that have expertise in advanced technology and robust industrial processes to produce the aircraft, officials said. Those partnerships will help the MV-75 “mitigate technical risks, bolster survivability and amplify lethality.”
“We really have an incredible collection of industry partners within Team FLRAA, and they are a key part to delivering this capability to the Army,” Paul Wilson, Bell vice president and program manager, said in a statement.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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