SCRA said yesterday that it has agreed to serve as the consortia managing firm for the Vertical Lift Consortium (VLC), a consortium formed at the behest of the Defense Department and industry to improve the long-term state of military vertical aircraft and the industry sector that supports those aircraft.

SCRA is a South Carolina-based applied research corporation that also manages a number of consortia for various customers, including the Defense Department.

The VLC facilitates collaboration among the government, industry and academic community. It works with the military services, Joint Staff, Special Operations Command, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the DoD Research and Engineering organization on military vertical lift aircraft concerns.

The VLC is comprised of a number of large and small defense contractors and suppliers, engine manufacturers, research and development firms, and university members.