Bell Textron to Break Ground on $632M Army Aircraft Parts Factory at AllianceTexas in April
Bell Textron is preparing to break ground in April 2026 on a $632 million manufacturing facility at AllianceTexas in North Fort Worth, where it will produce rotor blades and transmissions for the U.S. Army's Bell MV-75 Future Long Range Assault Aircraft — the rotary-wing platform selected to replace the Black Hawk helicopter.
According to the Dallas Business Journal and ConnectCRE reporting from March 2026, the facility will span 448,000 square feet and is sited at 15100 N. Beach St. within the AllianceTexas master-planned development in Denton County. Construction is confirmed to begin next month.
The Contract Behind the Facility
The factory investment is downstream of a major federal procurement win. According to Dallas Innovates, Bell Textron was awarded the FLRAA contract — the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft program — in late 2024, with a program-lifetime value estimated at approximately $70 billion. That figure is not a guaranteed near-term obligation.
Bell Textron is already headquartered in Fort Worth and is a subsidiary of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT). The new North Fort Worth facility is an expansion of an existing Texas aerospace and defense footprint, not a relocation.
The investment figure has shifted since early reporting. According to Manufacturing Dive, the Fort Worth component plant was initially reported at $429 million in January 2025. By March 2026, ConnectCRE and Dallas Innovates were citing $632 million. The reason for the revision — whether it reflects scope expansion, updated construction cost estimates, or equipment additions — has not been explained in available public sources.
Jobs and Economic Impact
According to ConnectCRE, the project is projected to create approximately 1,000 jobs. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram described the expected positions as "high-paying" jobs that could last "for decades" given the long-horizon nature of military fleet programs. Specific wage ranges have not been disclosed publicly, and the timeline for when the facility reaches full employment has not been confirmed.
No state or local incentive packages — tax abatements, grants, or workforce agreements — have been announced in connection with the project. Whether any exist has not been confirmed.
What It Means for North Texas Defense Manufacturing
The Bell Textron commitment reinforces AllianceTexas's position as an advanced manufacturing and logistics hub at significant scale. A 448,000-square-foot defense aerospace plant producing precision components for a new-generation military aircraft represents a long-duration anchor investment with the potential to shape a regional supply chain for a generation.
The MV-75's shift from conventional rotary-wing design to a tilt-rotor platform requires new precision manufacturing capabilities and supply chain infrastructure — creating potential downstream opportunities for smaller Texas manufacturers capable of meeting defense-grade quality and compliance standards, including AS9100 certification and ITAR requirements. Available reporting does not address subcontractor sourcing plans or how Bell Textron intends to structure its regional supply chain; manufacturers interested in that opportunity would need to engage Bell directly.
Expected construction completion and production start dates have not been published in available sources.