Materion’s advanced materials selected for U.S. Army tiltrotor aircraft prototypes

Materion Corporation, a global leader in advanced materials solutions, will supply its SupremEX metal matrix composite for components on the U.S. Army Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) prototypes. The high-strength, lightweight composite was selected by Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, which designed the FLRAA configuration and will build the prototypes. The new tiltrotor model can reach greater speeds and carry increased payloads of troops and equipment, reaching battlefields faster and at farther ranges.

“We look forward to working with Bell to equip the U.S. Army with a new aircraft design that provides greater reach and capability,” says Clive Grannum, President Performance Materials at Materion. “FLRAA will play a vital role in U.S. Army operations, and SupremEX composites will help enable greater capabilities in operation. These composites significantly reduce weight while maintaining their high-strength properties for long-term reliability.”

“We’re pleased to welcome Materion to the FLRAA team,” states Ryan Ehinger, senior vice president and program director for FLRAA at Bell. “FLRAA will change the way U.S. Army aviators fight by providing significant increases in speed, range, and reliability. We have a shared commitment to delivering this transformational capability to our warfighters.”

With a product portfolio that includes high-strength specialty alloys; lightweight, stiff metal matrix composites; and thin film coatings, Materion’s advanced materials address a wide range of technical demands in defense and aerospace applications. As new applications and technologies such as FLRAA are developed, Materion is uniquely positioned to meet emerging materials needs.

This material is based upon work supported by the Army Contracting Command - Redstone Arsenal under Contract No. W58RGZ-23-C-0001. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Army Contracting Command - Redstone Arsenal.