Photo by Matthew Ryan | Pictured is the Bell V-280 Valor developed for the Army's Joint Multi-Role Technical Demonstrator program as a pre-cursor to the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft. On 5 December 2022, Bell was chosen to develop the MV-75 FLRAA (Photos courtesy of Bell)
Story by Capt. Andrew Lightsey IV
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The U.S. Army officially named its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLARAA) the MV-75 Cheyenne II on April 15. The announcement was made during the 2026 Army Aviation Warfighting Summit hosted by the Army Aviation Association of America.
“With the MV-75 we honor a legacy, forged by conflict, proven in battle, originally known to the U.S. Army as some of the most formidable and disciplined adversaries on the battlefield,” said the HON Mike Obadal, 36th Under Secretary of the Army, to a crowd that included members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe. “The relationship evolved through warfare to mutual respect and finally into an unbroken legacy of patriotic service, with members serving in every major American conflict. The United States Army is proud to honor this history and pace the expectations of this warrior spirit on our aviators who operate the MV-75 Cheyenne.”
The designation continues a 79-year tradition, once mandated in Army Regulation 70-28, of Army aircraft be named after Native American tribes. According to the MV-75 Nominee Project Office, Cheyenne was chosen based on the tribes’ historical displays of the aircraft’s key attributes. Officials stated the Army considered more than 500 tribes and solicited feedback from organizations responsible for the aircraft’s development and delivery. While many tribes were researched, the Office found that the aircraft characteristics of speed, range, adaptability, and self-deplorability – mirrored the historical strengths of the Cheyenne tribes.
“The Cheyenne tribes represent a resilient warrior culture and embodies the key attributes of the MV-75,” said the HON Brent Ingraham, Army Acquisition Executive. “I am honored to be part of this historic occasion as we officially name our multi-mission tiltrotor aircraft.”
The Army official designation of MV-75 also symbolizes a new chapter in Aviation. Bell Textron Inc., the helicopters manufacturer, explained the “MV” stands for Multi-Mission Vertical Takeoff while “75” pays homage to the service’s founding in 1775.
The MV-75 Cheyenne II is the Army’s first conventional tilt-rotor aircraft. The aircraft was designed to reach speeds over 300 mph, transport 14 Soldiers, and carry an external load up to 10,000 lbs. While it was crafted for operations in the Indo-Pacific theatre, the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. was chosen as the first unit to field the helicopter, with an expected arrival in 2027.
“To be the first to field the MV-75 Cheyenne II is an honor for the ‘Wings of Destiny’ Brigade,” said Col. Tyler Partridge, commander of the 101st CAB. “Our legacy is built on flying complex air assaults, and this aircraft represents the future of that mission. The speed and range of the MV-75 Cheyenne II will fundamentally change how we conduct air assaults, giving us a decisive advantage and ensuring our ground forces can strike farther and faster than any adversary.”
