Work on the fuselage, which is being made with composite materials, is expected to be completed later this year.

"Spirit AeroSystems brings decades of composite manufacturing experience to the team which allows us to quickly build an aircraft like the V-280," said Phil Anderson, Spirit AeroSystems senior vice president of Defense. "This is a major milestone for the technology demonstrator unit. Spirit AeroSystems is proud to be on Team Valor and we are excited to be designing and building the composite cabin and cockpit for the V-280."

The V-280 Valor, being developed for the U.S. Army, is expected to have a cruise speed of 280 knots and a combat range of 800 nautical miles. It will be capable of vertical takeoffs and landings and flight as a fixed wing aircraft. The demonstrator aircraft is expected to have its first flight in 2017.

"U.S. ground forces require significant increase in speed and range to operate against and strike adversary systems much deeper than existing platforms," said Mitch Snyder, executive vice president of Military Business for Bell Helicopter. "That is the vision for Future Vertical Lift. The V-280 advanced technology tiltrotor provides the Department of Defense with unmatched speed, range and payload for expeditionary maneuver to win these future conflicts.

"We are confident in the capability that the V-280 will provide, and we are proud to have Spirit AeroSystems adding their expertise to Team Valor and to the V-280. Spirit AeroSystems beginning major assembly on the V-280 fuselage brings this high-performance aircraft one step closer to completion."

Members of Bell Helicopter's Team Valor for development of the aircraft includes Lockheed Martin, Spirit AeroSystems, Astronics, Eaton, General Electric, and GKN Aerospace.