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‘Cheyenne II’ official name for US Army MV-75
Bell Textron announced on Apr. 16, 2026 that the US Army officially designated the MV-75 as the Cheyenne II. Consistent with the US Army tradition of honoring Native American tribes, the MV-75 honors the heritage of the Cheyenne Tribes, two federally recognized nations: the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Montana and the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes in Oklahoma.
As already reported, in 2025, the Army revealed the Mission Design Series (MDS) MV-75. The “MV” signals that it is a multi-mission vertical takeoff aircraft and the “75” commemorates the US Army’s founding year, 1775. While the MDS honors the Army’s origin, the common name, Cheyenne II, honors the Cheyenne Tribes and their enduring legacy.
These tactical characteristics enable “full squad insertion at extended range, expanding medevac reach well beyond today’s golden hour, and enabling large-scale, long-range air assault operations that can reshape the battlefield,” said the Hon. Brent G. Ingraham, assistant secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, in a US Army news release.
AH-56 Cheyenne
The name was previously used in the late 1960s for the AH-56 Cheyenne, an advanced, high-speed attack helicopter. Although that program did not proceed, its legacy of innovation and speed continues with the new tiltrotor platform.
The MV-75 Cheyenne II is also the very first entirely new platform that has been introduced into the Army inventory since the 1980s, representing a quantum lead ahead in technology.
“In naming the MV-75 Cheyenne II, we honor the enduring contributions of the Cheyenne people to our Nation – both their distinguished service in uniform and their legacy as steadfast protectors of their way of life, said COL Jeffrey Poquette, Project Manager, FLRAA. “The name also reflects a connection to the bold vision of the AH-56 Cheyenne, while ‘II’ signifies a new era of innovation and capability. It is a name that pays tribute to an indomitable warrior spirit and signals a decisive step forward for Army aviation.”
Throughout their history, the Cheyenne demonstrated remarkable adaptability, resilience, and determination in the face of shifting environments and external pressures. As the Cheyenne relocated multiple times due to threats from rival nations and westward expansion, they developed new skills, reorganized their communities, and remained agile in rapidly changing conditions.
The MV 75 Cheyenne II reflects these same qualities. With its speed, range, lethality, and multi-mission adaptability, the Cheyenne II provides commanders with rapid options to mass combat power while reducing exposure in contested environments. Its Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) ensures the platform can evolve with the demands of the modern battlefield.
MV-75: revolutionizing Army Aviation
The Cheyenne developed a strong warrior ethos defined by courage, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to protecting their people. Their warriors were celebrated for strength, endurance, and steadfastness in harsh conditions. The MV-75 Cheyenne II brings increased lethality to the Army, enabling commanders to have more options against adversaries to overwhelm them in battle. Its endurance enables the Army to operate at vast distances outside of the densest threat rings. A capability unavailable to them with current rotorcraft.
With its new name, the MV-75 represents two distinct groups of warriors – the US Army and the Cheyenne tribes. Both share a heritage of skill, confidence, and commitment to the mission. The MV 75 Cheyenne II embodies these values as it becomes the centerpiece of the Army’s long range air assault mission.
“Bell is proud that the MV-75 carries the name of the Cheyenne Tribes as we revolutionize Army Aviation. The Cheyenne heritage represents everything that the MV-75 will bring to the future fight,” said Ryan Ehinger, senior vice president & program director, Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), Bell, in a company news release. “This is a significant milestone that comes right as we are accelerating assembly and production to deliver the MV-75 capability to warfighters faster.”
Bell and the Army remain on schedule as the team advances toward the delivery of the first test aircraft. Assigning an official name demonstrates the shared commitment to fieldling this critical next generation capability.
The MV-75 Cheyenne II is a transformational capability for the U.S. Army. With today’s naming announcement, Bell and the Army are one step closer to introducing the next generation of Army Aviation to the battlefield.
Replacing a portion of US Army H-60 Black Hawk fleet
The MV-75 is aimed at replacing a significant portion of the US Army H-60 Black Hawk helicopter fleet.
Originally the US Army wanted to have the MV-75 in service by 2030, but the service is now aiming at having its first tiltrotors in service for 2028.
The MV-75 is based on the Bell V-280 that beat the Sikorsky Defiant X to the US Army’s FLRAA program.
On Dec. 5, 2022 Bell Textron has been awarded the development contract for the US Army’s FLRAA program. The award is based on Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor that was developed and tested as part of the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) program that began in 2013. The V-280 progressed through design, manufacturing, and more than three years of rigorous flight testing that provided extensive data validating the technical and operational advantages of the aircraft for the long-range assault mission.
Combining the speed and range of the turboprop with advanced agility greater than a traditional helicopter, the Bell MV-75 offers better flight performance and lifecycle sustainability. According to Bell Textron, this weapon system was purpose built to revolutionize US Army overmatch in multi-domain operations.
Built with the maintainer in mind, the MV-75 was designed to revolutionize the reach and effectiveness of each mission while offering unmatched maneuverability, reduced downtime and ease of maintenance in the field.
With unparalleled mission equipment, MV-75 pilots will operate in challenging visual environments and provide the ground forces with situational awareness enroute and on the objective.
Photo credit: U.S. Army, Boeing and William Petrina via Wikipedia
