Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, has successfully joined the V-280 Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) wing and nacelles to the aircraft fuselage. The milestone occurred at the company’s aircraft assembly center in Amarillo, Texas on May.

 “The V-280 wing, nacelles and fuselage are now assembled into the aircraft we’ve designed as the next generation tilt rotor,” said Lisa Atherton, executive vice president of Military Business Development for Bell Helicopter. “This is a major milestone. The attention to detail from our employees, our suppliers and from all of Team Valor, today and throughout this entire process, has been astounding. Their efforts have resulted in an aircraft that is coming together quickly and according to schedule. We are excited and counting down to the first flight in 2017.”