U.S. Army secretary visits Arlington's Bell center amid Iran tensions

ARLINGTON, Texas - The secretary of the U.S. Army was in Arlington on Wednesday at the Bell Helicopter Research Center to see a demonstration.

Ryan McCarthy says the U.S. military is on stand for whatever happens next.

Military officials at the demonstration stressed the importance of modernizing our military equipment. That argument is timely as the U.S. and Iran seem to be avoiding war.

As the secretary of the Army told reporters, the U.S. is most often playing an away game and needs to be move troops farther faster.

U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy was in Arlington Wednesday at the Bell Helicopter Research Center to watch Bell's new aircraft, the V-280 Valor, in action.

The Fort Worth-based aircraft company hopes the helicopter is the future of aviation for the Army and replace Black Hawks, first flown in the 70s, to carry soldiers into combat.

Military officials describe the V-280 Valor as next generation, capable of transporting as many as 14 troops and said to fly up to 345 miles per hour.

U.S. Representative Kay Granger expressed her excitement for the new vertical-lift aircraft.

“To see this is just amazing,” Granger said. “And to see how quiet it is. It's much more stealth, takes off so fast and saves lives as well as protects the United States.”

McCarthy told reporters that the Army flies before it buys and noted that this model has already logged 160 flight hours.

“We have to have the best in breed in capabilities,” he said. “So we can win anywhere like we have for the last 245 years.”

McCarthy says modernization is critical for future readiness. And although it appears the United States and Iran have avoided going to war, he talked about how the U.S. has been in a constant state of provocation with Iran for decades.

“Our posture is locked and cocked, and we'll do what's necessary to maintain the safety and security in the region in particular,” McCarthy said. “It is a very complex situation. And tension has risen, but we had to take the appropriate action with the Soleimani raid. It was the right choice. It was a tough choice, but right now we're in a tactical pause and looking to see how this is going to play out.”

According to reporting by the Army Times, the Army wants to have this new kind of aircraft by the end of the decade in 2028 or 2030.