Defense & Aerospace Report Defense & Aerospace Air Power Podcast [Aug 28, 25] Season 3 E32: Under the Radar
Aug 28, 2025
Col. Jeff Poquette, Army program manager for the MV-75, and Ryan Ehinger, Bell's senior vice president, dive into the rapid advancements of the Army's next-gen tiltrotor. Design is nearly complete with a second generation on the horizon. They discuss how the program bypassed Milestone A and the innovative strategies employed to speed up defense innovation. Additionally, they tackle the competitive landscape with China's emerging aircraft, emphasizing the need for quick development and data protection in the aviation sector.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Lean Government Oversight
- Give industry leeway to use commercial best-practices in design and test to accelerate delivery.
- Monitor closely but avoid bureaucratic holds that slow prototype progress, Col. Poquette advises.
Digital Backbone Lowers Risk
- Digital engineering and a MOSA-compliant digital backbone provided a confident foundation for rapid commitments.
- Ryan Ehinger says that MBSE and prior demonstrators lowered discovery risk entering development.
Virtual Prototypes Before First Flight
- The Army received virtual prototype simulators at Fort Rucker and Redstone before flight articles existed.
- Col. Poquette says aviators train daily in these sims and feed changes into design and prototypes.