Bell Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) announced it was selected by Near Earth Autonomy to provide the Bell 505 airframe for the U.S. Marine Corps' MARV-EL Increment 2 program. The program aims to develop an autonomous aerial logistics aircraft for tactical resupply operations in contested environments.

The partnership will modify the Bell 505 helicopter platform to create an uncrewed logistics aircraft capable of autonomous operations. Bell will provide engineering support for autonomy integration and enhanced cargo handling modifications to the aircraft.

"This platform will be a step forward in transforming the U.S. Marine Corps' autonomous operations and how our warfighters navigate on the battlefield," said Jason Hurst, Bell's senior vice president of engineering.

The contract requires delivery of an autonomous aerial logistics capability that exceeds MARV-EL performance requirements and accommodates various payloads and standard containers. The aircraft will serve as a middle-weight uncrewed logistics asset for the Marine Corps.

Bell and Near Earth Autonomy previously collaborated on autonomous flight technology. In 2024, Bell revealed its Aircraft Laboratory for Future Autonomy platform and worked with Near Earth to integrate perception systems for flight demonstrations.

Bell Textron is a subsidiary of Textron Inc., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The company manufactures aircraft for aerospace and defense applications, with nearly 25% of its workforce having military service experience.

The information was disclosed in a company press release statement.