The Future Transport Rotorcraft (FTR) is a proposed heavy-lift helicopter capable of transporting the Army's Future Combat System (FCS) family of combat vehicles. The authors review RAND Arroyo Center's analysis of the engineering, operational, and survivability risks and uncertainties associated with the FTR.

The Future Combat System (FCS) is a rapidly deployable, medium-weight family of combat vehicles that will have the lethality of today's heavy armor forces. The use of heavy lift rotorcraft to "vertically envelop" the adversary with the FCS force package has shown significant promise.